Who will bat for Coimbatore?

Who will bat for Coimbatore? Always known for their enterprise and risk-taking abilities, not waiting for the Government to do something to provide an impetus to industrial growth, citizens of the city have largely relied on their own ingenuity for economic prosperity. The fall-out of this is for all to see.

For long having just one big hotel — Hotel Residency on the Avanashi Road — to play host to the well-heeled, the city now boasts of Taj Vivanta and Le Meridien, both five-star hotels and will see Radisson brand opening its doors in Peelamedu, work on which has just commenced. Pricol Properties is building a star hotel close to the airport.

Healthcare destinations

The city has already emerged as one of the premier healthcare destinations in the country sporting some of the best brains in specialities like cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, nephrology etc. The city’s KMCH has emerged as one of the biggest corporate hospitals in the country.

Hailed as the Manchester of the South for its textile mills, the city has shed its image as a mere textile hub and apart from being home to some of the largest auto component manufacturing units like Pricol and LGB, there are a legion of small and medium auto component ancillaries dotting the city. In pumps and motors industry, Coimbatore has the largest market share in the country.

Higher education

In higher education too, the city has established its stamp and emerged as second only to Chennai and its surrounding areas for the largest concentration of engineering and management institutes. Though the Government IT park has been established, it is yet to reach its full potential. But IT parks in the private sector have come up and Cognizant and Bosche already have two large facilities there.

Realty projects

All this growth has brought prosperity and the economic growth is not concentrated in a few sectors but is more widespread. The inclusive growth has brought professionals from other states flocking to Coimbatore and this is reflected in the real estate sector too.

Long dominated by the local players, the city has been attracting big guns from other centres/states like Sobha, Jain Housing, Puravankara, Casa Grande, Ceebros, TVH, to name just a few. All this has happened not with any Government support but at the initiative of entrepreneurs.

Infrastructure development

Where the city is suffering is in infrastructure development which is not in the hands of the private sector. Whether it is roads or water supply or electricity or underground drainage or the entertainment facilities or connectivity by air/road/rail, the lack of infrastructure is very evident.

The phenomenal growth in automobile sales has exposed the woeful inadequacy in road infrastructure — in by passes/ flyovers/ wide roads, not in posh areas of the city but where population pressure is high.

Work on the Rs 150-crore Gandhipuram flyover in the busy bus stand area is yet to commence for various reasons. Though the central prison here was to turn into the ‘Semmozhi Poonga’ as announced at the World Classical Tamil meet in mid-2010 after shifting the central prison from the heart of the city, it is not clear when this would happen to provide some relief to the entertainment-starved city.

Though the city saw some new roads at the time of the Classical Tamil meet, much of the city lacks good roads and work on the underground drainage scheme is moving very slowly.

Power supply

The self-made city is heavily dependent on power supply for running the small and medium units that keep the bigger industries running as they could not afford captive power units.

For years, the entrepreneurs have protested against the preferred treatment given to Chennai in enforcing power cut and the people gave vent to their simmering discontent on Friday when thousands of industrial units in the city downed shutters.

While work on some railway over-bridges are underway or just announced, the city needed better roads/fly-overs to ensure safe traffic flow. While some of the posh areas like Race Course or R.S. Puram give the impression of a modern city, much of the city needs good roads.

Even the battle for running some of the trains to and from Kerala, which now by-pass the city, through Coimbatore junction has largely been fought by the citizens.

The industrialists are sore that they could not get the opportunity to meet directly the Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa to bring to her notice what are their most pressing needs. The ruling party has a crucial stake in the region that has traditionally been its strong hold. This was reinforced in the last Assembly polls and the recent local body elections.

The city feels the absence of a strong local AIADMK leader who could take up its case at the highest level. With nobody to bat for it, it is sceptical as to when the new dawn for better days will come.

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