Residents and motorists in Coimbatore are navigating a daily obstacle course as several major roads in the city have deteriorated into dangerous stretches riddled with potholes and loose gravel. This alarming situation persists despite the Coimbatore City Corporation's claim of having relaid thousands of roads at a cost of hundreds of crores over the past few years.
A Recipe for Accidents and Injuries
The condition of the Vilankurichi-Thaneerpandal road is particularly dire. For a significant distance, the bitumen layer has completely worn away, exposing sharp stones, sand, and gravel. This makes the stretch a nightmare, especially for two-wheeler riders who face a high risk of skidding and falling. The problem is compounded by thick clouds of dust that envelop the area whenever vehicles pass, reducing visibility and creating a health hazard.
The Nallampalayam-Sanganoor road is in a similarly poor state. The danger here was tragically highlighted recently when a 39-year-old man lost his life after his two-wheeler skidded on a pothole, causing him to fall and be run over by a truck. Local shopkeeper V Ulaganathan, 49, states that the road has been in tatters for over six months, following underground drainage work. He points out that patchwork repairs are insufficient, with deep potholes appearing every 100-150 metres.
Residents Voice Frustration and Fear
Local residents and commuters are living in constant fear and inconvenience. T Rangasamy, a 35-year-old resident of Cheran Maa Nagar, describes a 1.5km stretch of Vilankurichi Road from the Thaneerpandal S bend as "pathetic" and known for frequent accidents. He urges the corporation not to wait for the completion of all underground drainage work but to relay sections as they are finished.
The human cost is mounting daily. Chinnasamy, a 63-year-old vegetable vendor on Vilankurichi Road, reveals that while no recent fatal accidents have been reported on that stretch, at least three people suffer serious injuries in road accidents there every single day. The dust pollution is so severe that Kowsalya, a resident of Ramathal Layout, has resorted to wearing a mask whenever she steps out.
The situation is exacerbated by diverted traffic due to the ongoing flyover work at Saibaba Colony, forcing more vehicles, including school children and their parents, onto these already crumbling roads. A local minivan driver lamented that only temporary patchwork is done when the road becomes completely unmotorable, with no comprehensive relaying for the past four years.
Official Claims vs. Ground Reality
The ground reality starkly contradicts official claims. The Coimbatore City Corporation states it has relaid 5,215 roads by spending Rs 415 crore in the past three financial years, with another 3,000-odd roads slated for work in the ongoing fiscal year. This leaves citizens questioning where these newly laid roads are.
When confronted about the Nallampalayam-Sanganoor road, A Radhakrishnan, councillor from ward 18, claimed the road was relaid at a cost of Rs 66 lakh three years ago. He blamed the current damage on the lack of a stormwater drain and promised that the entire road would be relaid next month, with temporary patchwork to be carried out in the interim.
As Coimbatore aims to grow as a major industrial and IT hub, the state of its basic infrastructure like roads tells a different story. The daily risk to commuters, the tragic loss of life, and the pervasive health issue from dust demand immediate and transparent action from civic authorities to make the city's streets safe again.
