Ideas on integrated URBAN PLANNING - Coimbatore AND Erode ,. kindly have a glance
Thu, Apr 19, 2018, 3:09 PM
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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.
- 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.
- EFFECTIVE USE OF EXISTING RAILWAY RESOURCES IN COIMBATORE - (a THOUSAND CRORE under utilised asset )
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
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 ?
