Residents demand for Peelamedu ROB again.

The Times of India:Coimbatore:Sunday, February 26, 2012.

In view of the delay in Nabard allotting funds for the rail over bridge in the area, the Peelamedu Consumer Voice, whose protest has caught public imagination in the city, has announced a human chain protest on March 18. It has also announced that it will stop trains on April 23 if funds for the project are not allotted.

"I have obtained via RTI all the details of the project. It will cost Rs 30.5 crore and Nabard has to allot funds for the project. But while similar projects in Singanallur and elsewhere are being allotted funds, the Peelamedu ROB has been neglected," said PV Gopal of Peelamedu Consumer Voice.

The decision to go in for a series of protests was taken at a meeting of the organisation on February 4. The ROB has been planned at Gandhi Maa Nagar in Peelamedu. The railways has issued tender to start work on the project on February 17 and end it in eight months from the starting date. However, the district administration has not made facilities to arrange for an alternative route while the bridge is constructed and work on the bridge has not even begun. "We therefore request the district administration to arrange for alternative route," Gopal said.

Residents, meanwhile, have alleged that the highways department had withdrawn a proposal to expand the bridge on both sides, reducing its width from 80feet to 60feet. They said this was being done to accommodate the wishes of powerful citizens living on Vilankurichi Road.

"The GRT School and Vijaykumar Ginning Factory, apart from a few companies, are situated on the road. About 40 families have gone to the court to obtain a stay against the widening of the road. In view of all this, we have no option but to go on a stir," said an activist.

PV Gopal of Peelamedu Consumer Voice, who has gone on an RTI campaign supporting his demand for the bridge, said that nearly 50,000 residents living in Cheran Maa Nagar, Vilankurichi and Thaneerpandal would benefit if the bridge is built.

"The Vilankurichi Road is a highly busy stretch and the lack of the bridge is consuming the time of the people, who are also forced to spend more on fuel," he said. There are nearly 30-35 colonies in the area and residents here are frustrated over the delay in building the bridge, he said.