Coimbatore: The work for widening of Mettupalayam Road into a four-lane at a cost of Rs. 49 crore and setting up of the botanical garden on the Central Prison compound on 165 acres in three phases will begin soon, said Collector P. Umanath recently.

He was responding to the resolutions moved at the District Planning Committee meeting.

First phase

The botanical garden of world class status would come up in the first phase on vacant land measuring 50 acres at a cost of Rs. 20 crore. In the second phase, the land inside the prison compound without buildings would be taken up and the extent would be around 47 acres.

The third phase would involve shifting of the prison to the outskirts of the city.

The Union Surface Transport Minister had sanctioned Rs. 49 crore for widening the Mettupalayam Road.

The total width of the road would be 58 metres. To the demand for metro rail, Dr. Umanath said that the project had just begun in Chennai and only on completion of the same it could be pursued for Coimbatore.

Shuttle service

Till then, efforts would be made for operating shuttle train services between Coimbatore-Tirupur and Coimbatore-Mettupalayam. Railway authorities had promised to pursue the demand once the Coimbatore – Irugur railway line doubling work was completed.

Public hearing

On merging Irugur and Pallapalayam panchayat areas with Coimbatore Corporation, the Collector said that though a resolution had been passed at the Corporation Council meeting, it could be finalised only after public hearing. He said that Irugur which was very close to Coimbatore would not be excluded in the expansion of the Coimbatore Corporation limits.

The other demands submitted at the meeting included approaching the Prime Minister and Union Food Minister for shifting the Food Corporation of India godown at North Coimbatore to the city outskirts, electric train services from Coimbatore to destinations such as Pollachi and Palakkad, providing uninterrupted power supply to the pumping station at Sulur for the Pilloor water supply scheme, construction of drainage and storm water drain at a cost of Rs 40 lakh at Periyanaickenpalayam and shifting of a TASMAC-run liquor shop at Kannampalayam.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam, and District Panchayat President C.R. Ramachandran took part.

Courtesy - Hindu