Ideas on integrated URBAN PLANNING - Coimbatore AND Erode ,. kindly have a glance

	Thu, Apr 19, 2018, 3:09 PM

Coimbatore – Copenhagen of Asia

(Inclusive growth oriented city for one and all)

Our cool city of Coimbatore is growing fast, rather very fast to our liking. Opportunities are becoming abundant qualitatively and quantitatively. We have some of the world class medical, educational, industrial, recreational facilities. Truly we are becoming an International city with physical, spiritual and virtual connectivity with the entire world (both developed and developing).

But let us be honest for a moment!

Is it inclusive growth?

Are we (the citizens of Coimbatore) getting benefits out of this mind boggling growth in an equitable and justifiable manner? Obviously not.

Our growth is benefiting only a part of the city population. A vast majority are being left out without any fault of theirs. They are driven out to the periphery of the city and they are being marginalized. It has already happened in countless cities around the world and the simmering inequalities are growing and the gaps are widening in our dear Covai too.

How to make our dear city a place for all?

Let us go by a step by step action plan.

1. We must get away from the mind set of Gandhipuram, RS puram, Race course centered city growth. Let us think of Avinashi to Mettupalayam, Sathy to Pollachi, and Palakadu to Somanur as part of Coimbatore Mega city.
2.  EFFECTIVE USE OF EXISTING RAILWAY RESOURCES IN COIMBATORE  -  (a THOUSAND CRORE under utilised asset )
3. 
   
4.                         BYE-PASSING of the Coimbatore junction by long haul trains - BOON OR BANE ?
• BYE-PASSING of the Coimbatore junction by long haul trains  and  the
  railways proposal   for  DOUBLING THE IRUGUR - POTHANUR single
  railway line is generating strong opposition from a  influential
  section of people.                                                                                                              
  WITH due respects to them ,  I would like to  draw your attention to
  the possible benefits  of the above plans.
  Not long ago GANDHIPURAM is the only destination for all city buses,
  mofussil buses, THIRUVALLVAR STATE EXPRESS BUSES and expensive but
  comfortable OMNI buses. It was convenient to all stakeholders;
  travelling public and their friends and relatives  who are sending
  them off  / receiving them, both public and private bus operators and
  their staff, Taxi / Auto drivers,  traders, lodging and boarding
  houses ; almost all.
  Then the Ukkadam, Singanallur, Mettupalayam mofussil bus stands  and
  the OMNI bus stand near GP / ELLEN HOSPITALS were came into service.
  Perhaps some more mofussil  bus stands may come up on AVINASHI ROAD (
  peelamedu / kalapatti / CODDISIA )  and SATHY ROAD ( ganapathy). All
  these new developments are not convenient to all sections of people.
  Still we accepted it because of the inevitability of the change
  necessitated by ever increasing crowd.
  
  
  If we use same logic, then we will not only accept  but whole
  heartedly welcome the   BYE-PASSING of the Coimbatore junction by long
  haul trains  and  the railways proposal   for  DOUBLING THE IRUGUR -
  POTHANUR single  railway line.
  No TIER II city is so endowed with a super most energy efficient form
  of Transport which is already available in our  Coimbatore.
   An MRTS   (Mass Rapid Transport system )  of  17 kilometres  of DOUBLE LINES of ready availability !
   To realize this potential, We must get away from the mind set of
  Gandhipuram, RS puram, Race course centered city growth.
   Let us think of Avinashi to Mettupalayam, Sathy to Pollachi, and Palakadu to
  Somanur as part of Coimbatore Mega city
   We must treat Pothanur Railway Junction as  THE COIMBATORE DISTRICT
   ( or)  GREATER COIMBATORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY JUNCTION for all the
  Traffic passing through Coimbatore (Tirupur to Palakad and beyond
  Traffic). 
  
  What is the point in   routing these long haul trains through Singanallur, peelamedu , North Coimbatore etc.  to Coimbatore city junction
  (without any stoppages  enroute ) consuming fuel, space, time  (of
  both passengers and railways ) with  negligible tangible / intangible
  benefit to the   majority of common city folks, except the harassing / harassed
  shopkeepers and the taxi / auto operators.
  
  
  
  
  Frankly speaking, What is our problem with the Pothanur Railway
  Junction?
  Lack of connectivity,  is it not?
   It is not at all a problem : rather it is a golden opportunity to   develop  a new  Bus
  terminus near Pothanur Junction  with town buses,  mini buses, share
  autos, ordinary autos, call taxies etc.  for the hassle free travel of
  railway passengers boarding / alighting at pothanur.
  
   In effect , we will have a satellite railway junction immediately  without any mega
  investment.
  Thus freed railway line capacity between Irugur and Coimbatore
  Junction via Singanallur and Peelamedu can be used for city commuter
  traffic. THIS WILL BENEFIT ALL COIMBATOREANS (RESIDENTS AND VISITORS)
   It is not that we should abandon the Coimbatore junction. Rather, we
  must make it more passenger friendly and congestion free for
  Coimbatore city folks. Let us be very clear that all the trains
  originating and terminating at Coimbatore junction should continue to
  do so. Further, all the Coimbatore bound trains must stop at Irugur,
  Singanallur, Peelamedu, Coimbatore North and some more stations/halts
  to be created in proximity with Avinashi road (near CIT / CMC /
  CODDISIA / IT PARKS), Avaram palayam Road ( near Sri Ramakrishna
  Hospital),   Sathy Road (near Aswin Hospitals / Textool)  and a few
  more if demand is there.   
  In effect, it will make a significant segment of the Coimbatore city roads free from traffic congestion. Especially, it will make the Coimbatore junction    people friendly  and crowds
  will be manageable.
   Also it will improve the connectivity and thereby
  increase the  value of the residential / commercial / industrial properties along the IRUGUR-PEELAMEDU-North Coimbatore railway line.
  It will benefit not only the Coimbatore citizens but also the frequently visiting populations from Palladam, Tirupur, Erode and Salem, Palakadu, Mettupalayam etc, too.
  And some more COIMBATORE  terminating  trains (both from Tirupur and Palakkadu ) can be extended
  up to Mettupalayam so that we can reduce the enormous road traffic in
  the Mettupalayam High way.  By applying the same principle, we can
  serve commuters from Pollachi side too,  as   the gauge conversion is
  completed.
  
  Perhaps,  Railway administration can discuss these ideas in
  appropriate forums. { Coimbatore city corporation,  District
  Administration, Railway  user groups, Educational Institutions, Trade
  unions, CII and the likes, media (both print and electronic )
  CODDISSIA, SIMA, SITRA etc.etc

3. A mofussil bus terminus near Neelambur or atleast near Coddissia complex for Avinashi and beyond bound buses will reduce the congestion in the town. Of course, the much talked about  bus stand at the Mettupalayam road for the MTP bound buses will help reduce the maddening congestion at Gandhipuram.

4. Needless to say, all these new and existing bus terminuses in Avinashi road, Singanallur, Ukkadam, MTP road, Gandhipuram and perhaps one more at / or near Ganapathy etc. should be connected through town buses mini buses and share autos.  

5. Health is Wealth

Let us create or improve or improvise pedestrians walk ways / cycle paths in and along every arterial road and city roads also. We all know the importance of cycling / walking in the overall management of health of all the active people both at the individual and institutional level.

Why don’t we have “tour – de – covai” cycle race an annual event like the “tour – de – france”.  Further we can have covai marathons, walkathons, triathlons (cycling, walking, and running) as regional events to begin with. And with experience we can have national and international events.

6. Action plan for rejuvenation of closed / rundown / sick industrial units

It is simply cruel to keep hundreds of acres of land, thousands of dilapidated buildings and millions of rusting machines lying unused. Let us boldly take over them by the government and make use of those vacated space to have temporary parking lots, entertainment arenas or simple vacant space for public usage. When the dispute is settled in the courts, the city can hand over the land to the legal owners.    

7. Move away from the city centre

Is it really justifiable to have a jail in a city centre? Couldn’t we relocate it outside the city? Likewise many a centralized facilities which need not be housed within the city may conveniently be relocated out.

8. Movement for Waste in to Wealth

Already we have a clear understanding and appreciation in this front. We must scale up these efforts so that we can be a world leader in solid and liquid waste management.

9. Opportunities for small scale, independent vendors

By encouraging the vendors of tender coconuts, sugar cane juice, fresh fruit juices, homemade foods and snacks, butter milk / curd sellers and the likes we can provide jobs to the honest. Obviously we must discourage junk food vendors, carbonated soda sellers and the politically influential tobacco / alcohol lobby. It will result in duel benefit of gainful, meaningful, honest employment for the marginalized and the healthy alternative food for our fellow citizens.

10. We must encourage Farmers Market (Uzhavar Santhais), week end markets, evening and morning markets at open spaces including the vast parking lots of government offices.

11. Sanitation – Every major bus stop should have urinals for both men and women. Every terminus (trains, buses, Airport) should have toilet cum bathing complexes. They can be ideally designed as fertilizer / fuel / irrigation sources for the teeming population of ours. Sulabh International  will help us.

Erode; make it better to live and work

FLY OVER near ERODE G H

A   good number of well meaning folks believe  that  the about to be built  4 DIRECTION FLY OVER near ERODE G.H will reduce the traffic congestion there.

But, their hope is based on mirage and illusion.

Because , despite numerous fly overs built  in CHENNAI and else where,  we have never seen easy and smooth passage of vehicles in congested urban centres.

The solution lies in reduction in number of vehicles and people  coming over there.

People are not coming there by choice.

They are forced to come through that congested place.

Then, what to do to solve this congestion?

We can do certain things with out single paisa investment. However, we need to do a lot of changes in our every day life.

1.      We should  motivate  educational  Institutions, public libraries to  evolve suitable timings for hassle free transport.

  By opening one hour earlier, the peak hour traffic jams can be managed in most of the
cases.

                           Let us consider the opening   of  the educational institutions by 07.00 a.m. onwards  ( well before morning peak hours ).

  They can complete the classes conveniently,  before the evening peak hours, say by  02.00 p.m. onwards

. If  second shift is considered, it can commence by 11.30 a.m. onwards. ( well after morning peak hours)
They can conclude the classes by 06.00 p.m. onwards


2.      Open   the Banks and financial institutions    ( and if possible  govt  offices  too  ) one hour earlier  and close them too one hour earlier. Their actual numbers may not be very large, but their influence is tremendous .
3.      Just like Railway  booking offices  and Head post offices, the public contact points of at least a few  Banks  &  financial institutions   and govt  offices  can work  7 days  a week (362  days) . Non policy issues, routine services  ( paying electricity bills, municipal taxes, getting a demand draft, registering birth /death  etc.)

4.      Charge  parking fees for all  MOTORISED TRANSPORT  vehicles  in  main public  roads according to their occupying space and time   ( Let us give the contract to local  body elected representatives  and their associates, so that they can earn their money legally)
5.      Encourage the usage of the CAUVERY  RIVER BARRAGE BRIDGES by providing    licenses / permits to Govt & Private bus / minibus / College Bus  operators. .  In fact they are the essential factors in our ring road concepts.
6.      Permit, develop, initiate, encourage  Bye – Pass services (  both  mofussil  & town buses).  Look at the   CONTINUING success of the age old ERODE GH – SPB colony  town bus service  and the  SALEM – COIMBATOE, SALEM – TIRUPUR mofussil  services )
7.      Provide Stoppages for some more trains  at SANKAGIRI, KODUMUDI, PERUNDURAI / ENGUR railway stations
8.      Provide  a stoppage for the YERCAUD  EXPRESS at CAUVERY R.S ( PALLIPALYAM / SPB and the neighbourhood area residents  will also be happy)
9.      As an aside, Permitting AUTO STANDS,  BUS STOPS, MINI BUS TERMINUS, SHARE AUTO
STAND, Two Wheeler parkings,  car parkings,  and   ATMs of BANKS at  the Railway Colony side of the   ERODE Railway Junction  will reduce the congestion at the  front side  and will generate
revenue for the railways without single paise investment.

.

Things to do with minimum investment  and maximum benefit.

First, relocate the BUS STAND to city outskirts.

Second, complete  the RING ROAD.

Third invest more in the IRTT medical college and hospitals   

 Finally, develop  the neighbourhood small towns’  Govt Hospitals, Primary Health Centres,  BUS STANDS, Whole Sale Markets of agricultural produces ( Chithode, Kavindapadi, Chennimalai, Kodumudi, Pallipalayam, Thindal, Perundurai etc) 

Ofcourse , the above remedies are applicable  universally.

Why not  ERODE   take a pioneering lead  in this generic problem of growing urban space ?