The recently concluded World Classical Tamil conference was held with much fanfare in Coimbatore, but a road which was laid to commemorate the grand event sank at least half a foot following water-logging at the culvert.

But the National Highways department swung into action immediately and completed the patch-up work.

Road widening, besides the construction of a culvert, was taken up near Rajalakshmi Mills bus stop, in view of the WTCC, as part of infrastructure development between Ondipudur and the Coimbatore Stock Exchange on the busy Trichy Road.

The newly-laid road couldn’t withstand even a heavy downpour.

G. Thangamuthu, National Highways Divisional Engineer, who was supervising the patch-up work, claimed that the culvert was intact. However, a marginal sink occurred on the road as the sewage water was completely blocked in the culvert.

Thangamuthu said that a Chennai based firm, which has its office at Gopalapuram, was awarded the contract as they were influential. “Similarly, the Stock Exchange road works leading up to Narasimmanaickenpalayam on Mettupalayam Road was also done by the same contractor” he said and added that both the contracts were obtained on 27 per cent discount.

Former Minister S.M. Velusamy, AIADMK MLA alleged that the work had been executed in a hurry without any proper planning whatsoever.