Kamal Ghorui
Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Corporation has identified 300km of non-motorised transport (NMT) routes across the city. The NMT routes will be implemented over a period of 15 years at a cost of Rs 9,895 crore.As a prelude, the corporation plans to establish a NMT corridor for a stretch of 31km at Gandhipuram and on Avinashi Road and Trichy Road. The corporation has roped in a private consultancy to conduct a feasibility study and prepare detailed project report (DPR). Corporation commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, “Safe streets that were proposed in the last corporation’s budget for a total stretch of 2km on Kamarajar Road and Trichy Road will be brought under the NMT corridor. We plan to extend it to at least 31km across major locations, including Gandhipuram, Trichy Road and Avinashi Road. The estimation of the project has not yet been derived, which will depend on the footpath and the establishment of drains along the NMT.” It is to be noted that the existing four NMT corridors on Cross Cut and Town Hall have lost their purpose due to encroachments by hawkers on pavements and damaged paver blocks. Reacting to corporation’s plan, Prakash Patel, a vendor on Bazaar Street, said, “The corporation should repair the existing roads. Many passengers waiting to board buses stand on roads because the footpaths are either encroached or damaged. It is better that they improve the existing infrastructure.”Shobitha, from Salem, who visited Cross Cut with her family, said, “This commercial street is often crowded. My youngest son, who is nearly 4 years old, finds it hard to walk along the footpath because it is mostly damaged. The local body authorities can allocate a separate place on the street for vendors and hawkers.” L Rangasamy, a resident of Tatabad, criticised the corporation, stating, “The NMT corridors are just in documents, but in practicality, there is not one. If a corporation is proposing such projects, there must be concrete models that show and serve its purpose. Here, the footpaths are not safe for children, the elderly and differently abled. When the existing NMT corridors are facing challenges, why go for new ones without addressing the problems?” Walking and cycling form 14% and 1% of the total share of transport modes in the city. As many as 43% of city residents use public transport and 33% of people use private motor vehicles.
