Major infrastructure upgrades promised to the residents of Coimbatore have hit a significant roadblock. A delay in the release of funds by state planning authorities has brought several crucial projects, collectively worth Rs144 crore, to a grinding halt.
Projects in Limbo Awaiting Financial Nod
The stalled initiatives include some of the city's most anticipated developments. The renovation of the Gandhipuram Central Bus Stand, estimated at Rs30 crore, is among the most prominent. Additionally, the expansion of Sathyamangalam Road, pegged at Rs54 crore, has been paused. Other affected works involve the laying of three scheme roads for Rs20 crore and various other road improvement projects costing Rs40 crore.
Officials from the Coimbatore City Corporation confirmed that detailed proposals for these projects were approved internally and sent to the Directorate of Town & Country Planning and the Local Planning Authority (LPA) for fund allocation. However, the necessary financial approvals have not been forthcoming, leaving all work in a state of suspension.
Three Crucial Roads Among the Casualties
A significant part of the delayed plan involves three specific scheme roads announced in the civic body's fiscal budget. The city corporation prepared a detailed project report (DPR) which was submitted to the LPA. The proposed roads are:
- A 30-foot road connecting Aishwarya Nagar to Marudhamalai Road.
- A 60-foot road from Saravanampatty to Thudiyalur, passing through Meenakshi Nagar and Anna Nagar.
- A road from Chinnavedampatti to Thudiyalur, whose final width is yet to be determined.
"The project report was submitted to the Local Planning Authority. We are now awaiting fund allocation," a city corporation official stated.
Official Follow-Ups Yield No Concrete Response
Expressing frustration over the bureaucratic delay, City Corporation Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran revealed that the civic body has sent three reminder letters to the Local Planning Authority. "There is no reply for the letters sent until now," he said. However, informal communication indicates that the proposals are currently with the finance sections and are pending approval.
Prabakaran assured that all the discussed projects would commence immediately once the funds are officially approved and released.
Activists Question the Rationale Behind the Hold-Up
The delay has drawn criticism from civic activists. RTI activist S P Thiyagarajan pointed out a glaring inconsistency. He highlighted that the Local Planning Authority has collected approximately Rs62.6 crore from Coimbatore between 2007 and 2023 through Infrastructure and Amenities Charges.
"Hence, the government should not sit on the proposals for Rs144 crore, which is needed for crucial infrastructure developments," Thiyagarajan argued. He further noted, "To my knowledge, the city hardly gets any funds from the Local Planning Authority. This is when every other city is getting funds from it. As a fast-growing city, Coimbatore should also be given priority in allocating funds."
The ongoing impasse underscores a critical challenge in urban development, where approved projects remain on paper due to procedural bottlenecks in fund disbursal, directly impacting the city's growth and the daily lives of its citizens.
