28-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Coimbatore roads remain damaged despite Rs 200 crore allocation for upgrades; residents slam civic apathy
COIMBATORE: The roads across Coimbatore city paint a grim picture, with citizens and motorists left to bear the brunt of poor planning, shoddy execution, and the apathy of civic authorities.
From main thoroughfares to inner lanes, damaged stretches have become a daily obstacle course for residents, raising questions about the effectiveness of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) and the state government's oversight.
Despite Chief Minister MK Stalin's allocation of Rs 200 crore exclusively for road repair and development in Coimbatore, there is little to no improvement. The recent spell of rain only worsened the conditions, turning broken roads into dangerous, muddy stretches unfit even for walking.
"It is a nightmare driving on these roads. I end up at the mechanic almost every month due to damage caused by potholes. Will the civic body bear these expenses," asked G Balamurugan, a two-wheeler rider from Vellakinar. "Even arterial roads like Tiruchy Road and Mettupalayam Road are riddled with potholes and uneven surfaces. Where did the funds go," he added.
The simultaneous execution of multiple infrastructure projects, including underground drainage (UGD) works, 24x7 water supply, and stormwater drain works has left roads dug up and unattended for years. Instead of being phased sensibly, all these projects were taken up across various zones at once, resulting in widespread disarray. The issue of bad roads is not new to Coimbatore, but the scale of degradation has worsened in recent years, Balamurugan added.
