Scaffolding Removed
Workers removing scaffoldings in the city on Thursday. Supervised by the Coimbatore Corporation, establishments that had put up hoardings across the city are removing the scaffoldings also. More than 500 unauthorised hoardings were removed a month ago when the Supreme Court upheld a Madras High Court order for their removal. But, the scaffoldings remained atop buildings and along roads.The Corporation did not plunge into removing the scaffoldings as it involved engaging workers experienced in this field. With the court insisting that the scaffolding also should go, along with the hoardings, the advertisers are now into removing these.
Gas cutters are at work at various spots in the city, especially on commercial complexes along main roads, to slice the scaffoldings into small pieces of iron. “These have to be brought down very carefully,” says Corporation Town Planning Officer M. Soundararajan. “As 95 per cent of the 582 unauthorised scaffoldings are on top of buildings, there is no major traffic regulation. It may be required only in very few areas where the hoardings had been erected along main roads,” he says.
But, those on the buildings too need to be removed carefully as power lines run close to the structures. Power supply has to be stopped in the work spots as sparks from gas cutters can be disastrous if they fall on the lines.The town planning official says in area such as 100 Feet Road, supply has to be stopped for a long time because of the high tension lines that run above the median.Mr. Soundararajan says those who have put up the scaffoldings have offered to remove them so that they can avoid paying a huge charge to the Corporation if it carries out this work.
“First of all, we do not have workers who can make a risky climb to the top of scaffoldings erected on the terrace of a six-storeyed building. The smallest hoarding measures 30 ft from its base to the top. Our conservancy workers cannot do this job,” he says.The Corporation also will have to engage workers experienced in installing or removing the hoardings. And, if the Corporation carries out the removal, it will slap on the advertisers a charge that it three times more than what they pay now. Besides, the dismantled scaffoldings will be under the custody of the Corporation as seized materials.
Asked what role the Corporation has to actually play, the official says the civic body need not be directly involved in the removal. Rules call for only the provision of manpower and equipment.The district administration is vested with the powers of removal as the District Collector is the licensing authority. The Corporation is, however, supervising the removal and Collector V. Palanikumar is monitoring the work. According to the Corporation official, almost 60 per cent of the scaffoldings have been removed.
