Coimbatore Sub-urbs get Infra Schemes
Three municipalities and 13 town panchayats along the city's border have been chosen for infrastructure schemes under the Central Government's Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.Kurichi, Kuniamuthur and Kavundampalayam are the municipalities. The town panchayats are Irugur, Vellalore, Chinnavedampatti, Vedappati, Veerakeralam, Vadavalli, Pallapalayam, Kannampalayam, Kalapatti, Saravanampatti, Thudialur, Chettipalayam and Perur. Initially, schemes for more than Rs. 3,100 crore had been drawn up for the Coimbatore Corporation areas. The urban agglomeration concept included in the mission underlined the need to extend the schemes to the peri-urban areas or those local bodies bordering the city. This is to ensure that the outskirts that are growing in terms of population do not suffer because of lack of amenities.
The announcement of the inclusion of the 16 local bodies on the outskirts was made at a meeting organised by the Coimbatore Corporation on Thursday to discuss the Revised City Development Plan for these areas that have a total population of more than 14 lakh. The Corporation has already submitted a plan for the city and three schemes have been cleared by the Central Government. District Collector Neeraj Mittal said each local body's requirement could be assessed only if an interface with the elected representatives and the public was held on its territory. "Instead of a centralised interaction such as this, it will be better to hold it at the municipalities and town panchayats," he said.
Addressing the chairpersons and officials of the local bodies, Mr. Mittal pointed out that the City Development Plan should be a vision document envisaging development over the next 25 years. "You should also know how to manage the transition," he said. The rising population in the city was leading to people moving into the suburbs. Garbage management, roads and sewage were becoming a serious problem. This would worsen if no solution were to be found in two years, he warned. Slums were increasing on the outskirts because of rapid urbanisation. "You will have to streamline revenue, especially tax collection. You have to demonstrate how you will mobilise the 30 per cent of the project cost that the local bodies are supposed to spend."
Explaining the revised plan, Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran said that schemes for underground sewers, roads, drinking water, amenities for the slum dwellers and for various other infrastructure could be implemented using grants from the Government and part funding by the local bodies.
The Corporation Commissioner would be the nodal officer, guiding the local bodies out in the preparation of plans and also identifying of consultants to prepare detailed project reports. The local bodies should demonstrate their ability to improve their revenue, especially through good collection of taxes, he pointed out. "The Government will approve schemes and provide funds only if it is convinced of the local bodies' ability to mobilise funds," he said.
Deputy Commissioners of Police, Coimbatore City, K. Shanmughavelu (Law and Order) and R. Tamilchandran (Traffic), who took part in the meeting, submitted proposals on traffic improvements.
Mr. Muthuveeran fielded questions from Chairpersons of municipalities and presidents of town panchayats, who wanted to know whether grants could be obtained for drinking water and solid waste management schemes. The Commissioner also clarified that there were no plans for the present to expand the Corporation area. Vice-president of Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore G. Soundararajan said 103 scheme roads earmarked in the Local Planning Authorities' plan should be laid. "These will serve as important links for the municipalities and town panchayats with the city," he said. Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretary R.R. Balasundaram said wide roads should be developed and efforts should be made to develop Perur as a heritage town.
