Bridge Projects Discussed @ Corp
Coimbatore Corporation North Zone Chairman C. Padmanabhan (left) and officials of the Corporation, railways, highways and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board discussing three major bridge projects at a meeting in Coimbatore on Wednesday. Officials of the Coimbatore Corporation, Railways, State and National Highways and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board discussed the status of three major projects that were being carried out in the North Zone of the civic body.The widening of the bridge over a railway line on Sathyamangalam Road (Textool Bridge), the Hope College Bridge on Avanashi Road and the road overbridge at Thanneerpandal were the projects discussed at the meeting. North Zone Chairman C. Padmanabhan said after the meeting that the National Highways officials were requested to minimise problems to the people living near the bridge on Sathyamangalam Road.
An increase in height by a little more than three feet would require a ramp of more than 130 ft. “We have asked for a 1:30 (in metres) arrangement. If the ramp size is restricted to less than 100 ft, at least 50 per cent of the 3,000 families in the area may not be displaced,” he said. The widening of this bridge also involved the shifting of a drinking water line at Rs.50 lakh. “The highways want the Corporation to do it by paying out of its funds. We want this expense to be included in the project cost of the highways,” Mr. Padmanabhan said.
As for the widening of the road overbridge on Avanashi Road, the Chairman quoted officials as saying that the highways and railways differed on the designing of three lanes, while work was progressing on the other three. The road overbridge at Thanneerpandal was one project that was expected to be over soon. The Corporation would explain to the people eagerly waiting for the project completion that it would be over in 15 days.
Work was progressing at the desired pace, Mr. Padmanabhan said. Mr. Padmanabhan explained that though convened only at the zone level, the meeting was a significant one because whatever it discussed were major projects that the city had been waiting for. “The point is that all these major projects come under North Zone and we are faced with the need to pursue these and also explain the situation to the people. We have requested the officials to remove all the roadblocks and quickly complete the projects,” he said.
