Poor roads irk voters at Kavundampalayam constituency

The Assembly constituency that has the highest number of voters in Coimbatore district, Kavundampalayam covers the IT hub of Coimbatore – Saravanampatti, Narasimhanaikenpalayam, Thudiyalur, and Kalapatti. Having elected an AIADMK MLA in the last three Assembly elections, it goes to polls this year with contestants from the Congress, the AIADMK, the NTK, and the TVK.

In the rapidly developing Kalapatti area, voters say they need better bus connectivity and more street lights. “Many people employed in the IT sector are settling down here and they are new to the city. They need better connectivity so that they can visit the city frequently,” said Preethi, a resident of Kalapatti.

“There is no problem in water supply or waste management here. But, local bus frequency is poor, the stray dog issue is high, and there is a need for more street lights,” she said.

In areas such as Idigarai and Narasimhanaikenpalayam, waste management demands focus. “The local bodies do not collect or manage the waste effectively. This leads to accumulation of waste,” said Krishnakumar, a local resident. Another major requirement is development of the Mettupalayam bypass to ease traffic congestion. The Thudiyalur to Saravanampatti road and Mettupalayam road to Annur road connectivity should be improved, he said.

M. Devendran, secretary of the Coimbatore district road protection committee, said the areas off the main Mettupalayam road have poor roads. The damaged roads have not been re-laid and encroachments are a major issue. The Mettupalayam road has two flyovers before Periyanaikenpalayam. Yet, road users continue to face traffic snarls. The service roads are in poor condition. In Vellakinar area, the patch works are badly done posing risks to motorists. The roads connecting off Thudiyalur are narrow. Encroachments are a major issue here. Advertisement boards have been placed on top of buildings though there are norms against it, he says.

The Pilloor – III water supply project is still on trial and so drinking water supply is irregular. Traffic problems on the main roads add to the woes of the residents in Thudiyalur and Kavundampalayam, he says.