The District Road Safety Committee, which met here recently, gave in principle approval for the Avinashi Road flyover project and four more infrastructure projects in the city.
However, an official of the Highways Department told The Hindu on Tuesday that the design for the flyover was yet to be finalised and it was difficult to give a timeframe for finalising it.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, and a member of the Committee, said that according to the details shared at the meeting, the flyover is for 9.2 km from Uppilipalayam to Chinniyampalayam and will have four down ramps and four up ramps. The other projects that received in principle approval were extension of Ukkadam flyover to Aathupalam, flyover at Lawley Road - Thadagam Road junction, down ramp for Gandhipuram flyover, and a change in alignment for the Western Bypass Road.
The District Collector was expected to call for another meeting in 10 days so that the officials could share details of these projects, he said.
Mr. Kathirmathiyon called for better transparency related to Highways projects. “The Highways Department seems to be maintaining a secrecy which is not advisable,” he said.
When there was a change in alignment or design, the project got delayed by eight months to a year.
If the details of a project were shared with the public and their suggestions sought, the time lost for changes at a later stage could be avoided.
It was only because the public views were not taken for the Gandhipuram flyover that there was a need to have a down ramp now, almost two years after the flyover was thrown open for use, he pointed out.
Another project that is waiting for approvals is the Coimbatore - Karur bypass road.
The project, to be implemented by the National Highways Authority of India, is said to be awaiting the approval of the State Government, which is expected shortly.
“We are planning to send a petition to the Chief Minister, the MPs of the region, and officials on Wednesday demanding the project should be dropped by the Central and State governments and, instead, the existing road should be widened,” said K. Satheesh Kumar, working committee member of Kongu Mandala Vivasaigal Vazhvaadhara Padhukaapu Kuzhu.