Consumer body flags violations in road relaying works in Coimbatore

The Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC) has flagged violation of court orders and government instructions in road re-laying works carried out by the Coimbatore Corporation.

K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of CCC, said a writ petition filed by the organisation in the Madras High Court in 2020 led to instructions from the Chief Secretary that the height of roads should not be increased under any circumstance during re-laying works. The Tamil Nadu government had given an undertaking before the High Court to strictly follow these directions.

He said roads in the city are being re-laid without milling, resulting in an increase in road height. The Commissioner of Municipal Administration had issued directions mandating milling or scrapping of existing roads, preparation of longitudinal section drawings to determine finished road levels, inclusion of penalty clauses in tender documents, and display of boards at work sites showing existing and proposed road levels.

However, these directions are not followed by local bodies, with no longitudinal section drawings or finished road level measurements taken before or after re-laying works, and no such records available in official files, he alleged.

Mr. Kathirmathiyon warned that a contempt of court petition will be filed against the officials concerned if corrective action is not taken.

Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran said milling is not required for every road and is undertaken only in select cases. There is no government order mandating milling for all roads and that the Corporation will act if such an order is issued, he said.