Frustrated by two decades of neglect, residents of Periyar Nagar in Coimbatore have finally taken their plea for basic road infrastructure directly to the city's mayor. The community, living in ward 7 of the corporation, has been navigating unmotorable and often dangerous streets for over 20 years, a situation exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and inadequate civic planning.
A Petition for Basic Amenities
On Tuesday, hope for a solution emerged as members of the Kalapatti Periyar Nagar Residents' Welfare Association submitted a formal petition to Coimbatore Corporation Mayor R Ranganayaki. The residential layout, which spans 12.18 acres, was originally formed in 1985 under the Kalapatti town panchayat and was later annexed into the corporation limits in 2011. Despite this integration, the area's infrastructure has failed to keep pace.
G Vaman, an executive member of the association, highlighted the core issue. "Roads in our area were laid 20 years back. They are neither re-laid nor repaired," he stated. The original layout plan approved 138 plots, but the locality has since expanded significantly with the construction of luxurious villas and apartments. This growth, however, has not been matched by the development of proper road facilities.
Daily Struggles and Health Hazards
The consequences of this neglect are severe and multi-faceted. Many inner lanes still have earthen roads, which turn into muddy quagmires during rainfall, rendering them impassable. Santhamani, a local resident, pointed out a critical failing: "The worst part is that roads get inundated when it rains due to a lack of adequate stormwater drains. The drains were constructed 30 years ago."
The problem isn't limited to vehicles. Bharathi S, a 57-year-old tenant, emphasized the risk to pedestrians. "It is not just about the immobility of vehicles, even pedestrians cannot commute, especially children and elderly," she said. Furthermore, the poor condition of the main roads has created an unexpected problem. Thangavel G, a 68-year-old former railway employee, explained that due to congestion on Kalapatti Road, many office-goers and school buses now use Periyar Nagar's streets as an alternative route. This has led to increased vehicle movement and significant dust pollution, worsening the living conditions.
Official Response and the Funding Hurdle
In response to the growing outcry, Councillor of ward 7, M Govindaraj, provided an update. He confirmed that new roads for three inner streets have been sanctioned and are expected to be laid shortly. However, the main road's fate hangs in the balance. "The estimate for the main road is waiting for approval. If the state provides funds, we will immediately fulfil the residents' demands," Govindaraj stated.
He candidly addressed the primary obstacle, a challenge faced across the city's wards: insufficient funds. The delay in relaying and repairing crucial infrastructure like roads and drains consistently points back to a lack of financial resources from the state government. The residents of Periyar Nagar now wait to see if their two-decade-long struggle will finally be prioritized in the civic budget, or if their petitions will be lost in the maze of bureaucratic and financial constraints.
