Schemes for Coimbatore city on a fast track
JNNURM officials to take stock of the progress
COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation does not have time to pause for breath. With a stiff deadline of March 31 to submit proposals for a number of schemes under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the civic body is racing against time to finalise major projects.
This explains why it has given only a month's time to a consultant for studying the condition of water bodies and preparing proposals for their rejuvenation. "We have to submit all the proposals by March 31. So we are working overtime," says Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran. With the mission being the best opportunity yet for providing better infrastructure for the city, the Corporation wants to make use of every bit of time for feasibility study, meeting with consultants and apprising the elected representatives of various plans.
A study on the traffic pattern is set to take off. This will look at various modes of public transport - road and rail - to decongest the city roads. Expressways and flyovers and six lane roads are infrastructure plans being put on the fast track for preparing detailed project reports (DPR). These are to be submitted to the Union Ministry of Urban Development that implements the mission.
A study on the traffic pattern is set to take off. This will look at various modes of public transport - road and rail - to decongest the city roads. Expressways and flyovers and six lane roads are infrastructure plans being put on the fast track for preparing detailed project reports (DPR). These are to be submitted to the Union Ministry of Urban Development that implements the mission.
Pilloor II Phase:The Pilloor II Phase drinking water scheme was cleared on December 29, last year. It is the first scheme to get off the blocks towards implementation, after lying in cold storage for almost eight years. A revised DPR for the underground drainage scheme is expected to be submitted by the end of this month. Coimbatore Corporation sources say that reports for some other schemes will be submitted by the end of February. Reports for all the schemes will be submitted before the deadline, they say.
The Corporation has been inviting consultants through its website. Consultancy services have been sought by the civic body for studying the condition of existing infrastructure and the need for more. There are indications that the traffic improvement measures may be carried out in two phases, after making a thorough assessment of the city's needs. The Corporation may go in first for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). Skybus and monorail may come in the second phase. Moves now also indicate that conversion of the existing bus system into a BRTS may be proposed. The BRTS requires a separate track. This will also involve forming of separate lanes for various types of vehicles.
According to water managers in the Corporation, the Pilloor water scheme will take almost a year to complete.Provision for an additional main line from the dam had been made when the first phase was being implemented more than 15 years ago. Work up to Saravanampatti on the city border can be completed faster than in the city where heavy traffic will slacken the pace. Top officials of the JNNURM will be here on January 24 to take stock of the progress by the Coimbatore Corporation so far.
Source:The Hindu
