Minister asks SIDCO to take up infrastructure works at Kurichi industrial estate

Minister for MSMEs P. Mathan Raja and Minister for Excise K. Vignesh inspected the infrastructure facilities at the SIDCO Industrial estate at Kurichi on Tuesday (September 15) and instructed the officials to prepare an estimate for re-laying the road and constructing storm water drains.

The two Ministers, who went around the industrial estate on a two-wheeler, also learnt about the infrastructure challenges there. One of the earliest industrial estates in the State, the Kurichi estate spread over 100 acres houses nearly 350 MSME units. The units have been asking for drinking water connection and better roads.

The Minister asked the Small Industries Development Corporation to instal streetlights wherever needed as only 50 lights are functioning within the estate. He also asked the officials to prepare estimates for re-laying the road within the estate along with stormwater drains.

N. Mathivanan, president of the Coimbatore SIDCO Industrial Estate Manufacturers’ Welfare Association, said the association members had submitted their demands to the MSME Minister earlier and he visited the estate on Tuesday to review the facilities available. “The units had drinking water connection till 2016. However the pipelines were disconnected to facilitate construction of a flyover in that area. Now, the Corporation is asking us to pay multiple charges as collected for new connections. We have raised this multiple times with the Corporation and submitted our demand to the Minister on Tuesday. He has assured us that he will talk to the Minister concerned,” said Mr. Mathivanan.

However, an official of the SIDCO said the Coimbatore Corporation had laid pipelines and the Minister had asked the units to pay the charges as demanded by the civic body and get the connection.