Coimbatore Roads Dug Up For Civic Works Leave Motorists Stranded For Months
In Coimbatore, two of the city’s key arterial roads—Kamarajar Road and Nanjundapuram Road—have become virtually impassable for months, following extensive digging for utility projects and water pipeline works. Despite the completion of underlying works, authorities have failed to re-lay or even patch up the damaged stretches, turning daily commutes into a hazardous ordeal. With these roads serving as critical connectors between residential and commercial zones, the delays have caused mounting frustration, prolonged traffic snarls, and even risks to emergency vehicles like ambulances.
The situation on Nanjundapuram Road is particularly grim. Though it was marked for immediate restoration by district authorities weeks ago, commuters report that the road remains in the same battered condition, riddled with loose gravel, dust, and potholes. Civic officials cite delays in pipeline repair and inter-departmental coordination as reasons for the hold-up. Meanwhile, residents, including senior citizens and school-going children, are forced to navigate the stretch daily, risking injury and facing slow-moving traffic at all hours. With thousands depending on the road to access workplaces, hospitals, and markets, the prolonged inaction has sparked questions over governance priorities in a rapidly urbanising city. Similarly, Kamarajar Road, which links Singanallur with Peelamedu, has remained dug up months after water supply infrastructure was laid under the city’s 24×7 water scheme. Despite the significance of this corridor—used by thousands of vehicles daily—no substantial roadwork has followed.
Motorists report that the lack of even basic patching has turned the road into a bottleneck, particularly near junctions like D Mart, where the absence of traffic signals further aggravates congestion. During peak hours, two traffic personnel struggle to manage the chaos, while road users are left dodging debris and abrupt level changes, which also contribute to air and noise pollution. Traffic and civic experts argue that the crux of the issue lies in a disconnect between civic agencies and road-laying authorities. Pipeline work is completed without simultaneous plans for surface restoration, resulting in roads being left in disrepair for extended periods. Moreover, there is a lack of urban planning frameworks that prioritise post-infrastructure rehabilitation, especially in areas witnessing high vehicular density. In a climate-sensitive era, these neglected roads not only reflect poor coordination but also raise serious environmental and public health concerns, with dust pollution rising in the absence of a paved surface.
The delay in restoring Coimbatore’s key urban roads highlights the need for stronger inter-agency accountability, especially when infrastructure work disrupts public mobility for extended durations. Citizens are not asking for grand highways, they say—just safe, navigable roads that uphold the dignity of urban life. With monsoons approaching and traffic volume growing, civic bodies must prioritise timely road restoration and adopt sustainable practices such as green paving, improved drainage, and transparent timelines. The city’s resilience depends not on promises, but on action taken at street level.
