Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Residents upset over delay in roadwork

Special Correspondent

HARDSHIP: A motorcyclist rides over a plank to cross a trench dug at N.V.N. Layout at New Sidhapudur in Coimbatore . - Photo: M. Periasamy

COIMBATORE: Residents of N.V.N. Layout and N.K.N. Layout at New Sidhapudur are upset with the Coimbatore Corporation over a trench dug near their layouts to build a drainage canal and culverts. It was dug around April 20 and the delay in works for around 15 days has inflicted a lot of hardship on the people.

Though the work has resumed, the residents seek to remind the Corporation that the delay has already caused problems. Residents are still not able to use their vehicles to reach the main road, says M. Appuswamy, a resident. He has already listed the woes of the residents in a letter to Mayor R. Venkatachalam.

The letter, written on May 3 on behalf of the residents of these colonies, says that 50 families have access to the main road only from its western side. But, the workers of a contractor had dug up the road and cut off this access.

Residents use wooden planks to get across the trench. "We are not able to take our motorcycles or cars out of the house," says the letter. This also keeps visitors away from the layouts. "We have to engage taxis even to set out for our day-to-day work and incur unnecessary expenses."

The old and the infirm have to be helped to cross the trench.

Using the planks to get across the trench may prove disastrous when they turn weak. After some time, this may result in loss of lives or limbs. Stating that the inconvenience caused cannot be expressed in words, the letter says that if no solution is provided soon, the people will have to close the trench themselves.

When contacted, the Mayor says that Corporation officials have been asked to speed up the work. The trench has been dug to build a culvert. Admitting that the open trench is a risk, the Mayor says the work will be completed in a week. According to the civic body, some progress has been made in the work. Thought the trench is yet to be closed, the drainage canal is being constructed.

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