The Tiruchy City Corporation’s initiative to take over the maintenance of state highway roads remains in limbo, awaiting approval from the state highways department. This proposal, aimed at expediting repairs and reducing bureaucratic delays, highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the corporation in maintaining road infrastructure.
Currently, procedural delays hamper timely repairs, particularly in cases involving drinking water and underground drainage pipeline issues on roads managed by the state highways department. For instance, when a pipeline bursts, the corporation can address the leak but must wait for the state highways department to re-tar the road, causing significant delays. “Residents will criticise us if a road under the corporation’s jurisdiction is in poor condition. Whether they are state highways or corporation roads, it makes no difference to them. We have encountered this kind of situation multiple times,” explained a senior corporation engineer.
To mitigate these delays, the Tiruchy Corporation proposed assuming maintenance responsibility for 93.9 km of highway roads. This proposal was tabled during a council meeting in July 2023 and includes key sections of the Nagapattinam-Gudalur-Mysore Road, Old Karur Road, Race Course Road, Circuit House Road, and Khajamalai Road.
“The matter is likely to be presented in this month’s council meeting. After the discussion in the council, we would take a decision on raising the matter with higher authorities,” a source disclosed. The initiative underscores the corporation’s commitment to ensuring road safety and timely maintenance, irrespective of jurisdictional boundaries.
Residents have voiced their concerns, emphasising the importance of prompt road repairs. “It doesn’t matter whether it is a state highway road or a corporation road. If a road is in damaged condition, it must get repaired at the earliest. The authorities are not giving priority; that’s why it often takes time to commence re-tarring of damaged roads,” a resident remarked.
The delay in securing approval for this initiative highlights the need for more streamlined inter-departmental coordination to address infrastructure maintenance issues efficiently. The proposed transfer of maintenance responsibilities to the Tiruchy Corporation is seen as a strategic move to enhance operational efficiency and ensure the timely repair of road infrastructure, ultimately benefiting the residents and improving overall road safety.
As the corporation awaits the necessary approval, the focus remains on expediting the process and ensuring that residents do not suffer due to bureaucratic red tape. The forthcoming council meeting is anticipated to play a crucial role in determining the next steps for this vital infrastructure initiative.
