A dug-up stretch of the Mettupalayam Road in Coimbatore city following pipeline-laying work under the Corporation’s 24×7 drinking water project on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: M. PERIASAMY
Roads dug up for pipeline-laying under Coimbatore Corporation’s 24×7 drinking water project continue to inconvenience motorists and residents at several places, with complaints ranging from uneven and muddy surfaces to difficulty in accessing side roads, parking and properties.
The ₹646.71-crore 24×7 drinking water project involves extensive pipeline-laying across the city. In some stretches, excavation has reduced the usable road space and made turning movements difficult. Residents and shop owners have also faced difficulties accessing side roads and premises, while loose soil and sludge have added to the problem during rains.
Arun Subramaniam, a regular commuter on Mettupalayam Road, said the problem was particularly difficult near the Saibaba Colony junction, where the service roads had already been in poor condition. “Even after the flyover was opened, the service roads continued to be in bad shape. The digging for the water project and leaving the portions untarred has added to the problem,” he said. A government bus recently got its front wheel stuck in the mud and sludge while taking a turn at the junction, he added.
Sethu, a resident of Peelamedu, said timely restoration was important as excavated portions affected the movement of vehicles and access to roads and properties.
A senior Corporation official said restoration was being taken up. For roads under the State Highways Department, including Avinashi Road, the Corporation would provide funds to the department for restoration. On roads under the National Highways jurisdiction, the Corporation would itself take up the relaying work, he said.
The portion of Avinashi Road from the city towards the airport has been completed and restored. Around 13 km of pipeline work on the other side, from the airport towards the city, is to be taken up in the coming days, the official said.
On Mettupalayam Road, only a few minor stretches remain, and the Corporation would complete the work and restore the roads at the earliest, he said.
Published – September 16, 2026 08:41 pm IST
