Come rainy season, the first infrastructure to take a hit is the roads across the city. Residents of various areas are already complaining that cuts made for various developmental projects have left the roads in a shambles.
While welcoming stormwater drains (SWD) and underground drainage network works, residents complained that undue delay in completing them and lack of co-ordination among government agencies had left the roads damaged for several months. Many question civic agencies for rushing to complete them just before the north-east monsoon.
Residents of Korattur dread rains as roads have not been laid for over five months now since work to build SWD remains incomplete in areas including Thillai Nagar, K.R.Nagar, Chavadi Street and Jambukeswarar Colony.
Sewage overflow
Samuel Sathish, resident of Thillai Nagar, said as newly laid drainage structures had not been linked to the network, sewage flowed onto the roads. The excavated mud kept on the road made it unmotorable.
For residents, using the Manapakkam Main Road, connecting Mount Poonamallee Road and other neighbouring localities, has turned into a harrowing task as the road has not been relaid after SWD and water pipeline works. V.Nagarajan, a resident said that bus services to the area had reduced because of poor road condition. In some areas like Kadapa Road, Puthagaram falling under Ambattur zone, work to lay sewer lines, which is a long-pending demand, began recently. It, however, has caused great inconvenience to residents as roads are cut and the rains are making them slushy and unmotorable.
Responding to residents’ complaints, sources in Chennai Metrowater said the work often got dragged beyond schedule because of delay in getting permission for road cuts and also tendering process.
Sources in the Greater Chennai Corporation said they had to wait till other agencies completed their works before roads could be relaid.