COIMBATORE: Though it was a landslide victory for the AIADMK in the Coimbatore Corporation polls, mayor-elect S M Velusamy will have to face a number of challenges, which the DMK was unable to resolve during the last five years.The first and foremost is the completion of the Rs 113. 77 crore Pilloor Water II Phase Scheme designed to supply water 24x7 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). With the long delay in completing the scheme, water scarcity remains acute in parts of the city, including Peelamedu and Ganapathy. The AIADMK had squarely blamed the DMK regime for the slow progress of the project and Mayor Velusamy has promised to complete it at the earliest.The completion of the integrated Underground Drainage scheme worth Rs 377 crore is the next big challenge. The tardy progress of the project was seen by many as one of the reasons for the drubbing of the DMK in the polls. Being the fast growing city next to Chennai in terms of population and business, clean city programme is also a big challenge for the Corporation. Another issue is the implementation of the ban on use of plastic items.Though the Central government had sanctioned Rs 3,126 crore for infrastructure development of Coimbatore Corporation five year ago under the JNNURM, the Corporation has not yet completed a single scheme under JNNURM, inviting the wrath of the residents. So far, schemes worth Rs 1,200 crore are in various stages of completion. With the schemes remaining incomplete, it may be a mega challenge for the new mayor to get approval from the Union Urban Development Ministry to utilise the remaining funds.The new Mayor has reiterated that like his party chief J Jayalalithaa, who is striving to make Tamil Nadu the No.1 state in the country, he would make Coimbatore a model city in the state.
Comments
0 comment