Corp Submitted To State Govt
The Coimbatore Corporation has submitted to the State Government estimates for the traffic and transportation design and management projects that it plans to implement in the city under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Corporation Commissioner V.K. Shanmugham submitted the estimates to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in Chennai. The Corporation said here that projects for Rs.2,422 crore had been drawn up and these were aimed at improving the present traffic conditions and also providing new systems that could facilitate free flow of traffic on the now chaotic city roads. A traffic and transportation advisory committee headed by the Chief Secretary had held meetings with the Corporation, district administration and police officials here on improving the geometry of traffic junctions, increasing the width of roads to make them both traffic and pedestrian-friendly and also to plan more public transport systems such as the Bus Rapid Transit System.
The bus system, on exclusive lanes, is being planned on Avanashi Road for 18 km at Rs.383 crore. While the possibility of including Tiruchi Road is being examined, there is a demand for the system on Mettupalayam Road. At certain points, the Corporation is also exploring the possibility of elevated lanes for the bus system, where the roads cannot accommodate these buses and the other vehicles. The plan has been divided into three components – short-term, medium-term and long-term.
Under the short-term plan, the quality of 19 roads (totally 31.43 km) is to be improved at Rs.57 crore. Eight traffic junctions will be improved at Rs.3 crore. Traffic management measures at Rs.30 crore and exclusive lanes for cycles and pedestrians at Rs.21 crore are the other projects under this component.Under the medium-term plan, the Corporation wants to build flyovers at five places at Rs.211 crore, 18 pedestrian pathways at Rs.25.60 crore, flyovers (over railway lines) or underpasses at Rs.92.50 crore, widening of nine roads at Rs.234 and lay 15 link roads at Rs.585 crore.
Four ring roads at Rs.478 crore, four bus terminals at Rs.65 crore, six lorry terminals at Rs.36 crore and 14 vehicle parking facilities at Rs.200 crore are the long-term projects. As for parking, the Corporation is planning multi-tier parking lots to overcome shortage of space in shopping areas such as Cross Cut Road, D.B. Road and Oppanakara Street. At present, inadequate parking space chokes these roads and flow of traffic. The ring roads are aimed at de-congesting the city roads by enabling vehicles bound for other States or districts avoid the city. The bus and lorry terminals too are expected to help in de-congestion.
