Puttuvikki Road cave-in leads to traffic snarl on Ukkadam- Athupalam stretch

Heavy traffic snarl on Puttuvikki Rd b/w Athupalam & Ukkadam due to UGD pipeline breakage. Works to replace old concrete pipeline began on July 18. Police deployed extra personnel to regulate traffic. Works to be completed by July 25 night.

With the works to rectify the breakage of an underground drainage (UGD) pipeline on Puttuvikki Road not completed even a week after the road caved in, the stretch between Athupalam and Ukkadam is witnessing heavy traffic snarl. The road, which links Palakkad Road to Sundakkamuthur Road and the Ukkadam - Perur bypass, caved in on July 17 after the UGD pipeline laid 20 feet below the road more than 10 years ago broke.  As a result, vehicles that used to enter Palakkad Road from Ukkadam - Perur bypass are now forced to pass via Ukkadam – Athupalam stretch. Similarly, vehicles from Palakkad Road to Ukkadam - Perur bypass also need to use the same stretch. A resident from the locality said a small hole was seen on the road for a few days before July 17. The road caved in for over 10 feet as a two-wheeler passed close to the hole on July 17. A major tragedy was averted, he said. S. Kanagaraj, Assistant Executive Engineer of Coimbatore Corporation, South Zone, said the old concrete pipeline got damaged as it was placed roughly 12 years ago and it needed to be replaced. It is the main pipeline that has been carrying the drainage pumped from 20 wards. “The damage was detected when the road caved in about 10 feet in the area near the Puttuvikki Bridge over the Noyyal River. While excavating the area for inspection, workers found the pipe was damaged intermittently across a stretch of 120 metres under the Sundakkamuthur road. The leakage had eroded the sand beneath the road causing it to sink, hence the traffic was diverted”, he said. Gravel was laid temporarily along the sides of the road, where damages were detected, to serve as an alternate route for two-wheelers to ply. The repair works began on July 18 and a new reinforced cement concrete pipeline was being laid, said Mr. Kanagaraj. According to him, the work was hit due to rain recently, but workers have been told to ready the wet mix for the road and the route will be ready by July 25 night. A senior official from city police said that the Corporation had assured to complete the works in 10 days. The police have deployed additional number of personnel to regulate traffic at Ukkadam and Athupalam.