Scheme roads in Coimbatore to get fresh push

Coimbatore: The city corporation has begun work to evaluate the status of scheme roads planned in its limits over the past three decades and revive those proposals.

Scheme roads serve as a link connecting arterial roads such as Avinashi Road, Sathyamangalam Road, Mettupalayam Road and Trichy Road.

Some of the important scheme roads proposed years ago but are yet to get approval are a 30ft road from Aishwarya Nagar to Marudhamalai Road, a 60ft road from Saravanampatty to Thudiyalur via Meenakshi Nagar and Anna Nagar, a 40ft road from Fun Mall to Sowripalayam, an 80ft road from Vilankurichi to Codissia and another one from Chinnavedampatti to Thudiyalur.

A proposal for seven such scheme roads at a cost of Rs144 crores was sent to the state govt in 2021. However, none of these roads have been granted approvals. Now, the city corporation has sent a reminder letter, seeking funds for the three roads in the first phase - Rs12 crore for the scheme road from Aishwarya Nagar to Maruthamalai Road, Rs4 crore for the one from Thudiyalur Main Road to Anna Nagar via Meenakshi Nagar and Rs3 crore for Thenvadal Project Road. The corporation is awaiting allocation of funds from the local planning authority and the state govt.

Commenting on the need for scheme roads, activist S P Thiyagarajan told TOI, "The city has planned nearly 300 scheme roads since 1994. If these were executed immediately after they were planned, the land acquisition would have been simpler and cost effective. Now, land acquisition will cost a lot."

A resident of Cooperative Colony at Vilankurichi said the Codissia to Vilankurichi Road was an important one. "Many people from Gandhipuram, FCI Road and Thaneerpandal Road would benefit, as this will offer easy access to Avinashi Road. This was announced in 2010, but a private school functioning on this road had obtained a stay against the development. While the Madras high court had quashed the stay order in 2018, there is no significant progress yet."

Developing the Vilankurichi-Codissia road will ease the traffic movement within the city. Also, the road would spur economic activity. Delay in creating a link road has kept this location away from economic growth. Though companies are approaching for office spaces in Hope College and Peelamedu areas, not many come up to set up their establishments along this route due to the lack of accessibility.

Meanwhile, corporation commissioner M Sivaguru Prabhakaran stated that the second master plan had excluded the scheme roads. "We have requested the state authorities to include those roads. We are also requesting allocation of funds. Once the funds are sanctioned, the work will begin immediately."