With the traffic in the city growing exponentially, scheme roads, which are currently being used by private parties, could be used by the corporation to ease the congestion on the Coimbatore roads.

Traffic congestion is one of the major woes of the city, with areas including Town Hall, Mettupalayam Road, Avinashi Road, Sathi Road, and Trichy Road, flooded with vehicles during peak hours. With the Corporation getting serious about the Smart City project, activists say that reclaiming the scheme roads will help in clearing traffic congestion.

According to a senior official of the Local Planning Authority (LPA), Coimbatore, there are 272 developments plans in the current masterplan of the city. The plans also listed 13 scheme roads, which have been identified by the officials for usage in future. Some of these roads however are occupied by promoters in the name of group developments for many years, and are also being maintained by private parties.

Recently, S. Kanagasundram, Technical Convener of the Licensed Building Surveyors Association, claimed that the scheme roads currently being used by Parsn Sesh Nestle and Mayflower apartments on the Nanjundapuram Road will ease traffic and help link Singanallur and Ukkadam with Nanjundapuram Road, if opened for public use.

“The Mayflower Apartment Road can be used to reach Singanallur via Kallimadai, and the Parsn Scheme Road would connect to the 80 Feet Road near Olympus,” he added.

He further complained that one of the promoters has blocked the road with a gate. A member of one of the Parsn societies had denied the allegation, saying that the road had been handed over to Parsn and cannot be utilised for public purpose. “We maintain the road by collecting money from the residents,” the member said.

C. Mathivanan, Member Secretary of LPA Coimbatore, has clarified that the roads can be taken over by the Government when in need, adding that the promoter was not given permission to erect a gate prohibiting entry into the scheme road.