Dur to the tardy progress culvert, rush-hour drive along the Mangadu – Kundrathrur Main Road feels like eternity.
For a huge number of Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses, this road inked into their routes. So, you have a whole lot of unhappy commuters.
A section of the road has been dug up for the construction of a concrete duct into which excess rainwater can flow. At present, a concrete foundation slab is being contructed in a trench.
There are no warning boards at the site to indicate the construction work. Besides, the road is signficantly lacking in streetlights.
“At night, from a distance, it is almost impossible to differentiate between the trench and the road. The road is also uneven and difficult to cross,” says S. Venukumar, a resident of Poonamallee.
The project, which began four months ago, is estimated at ₹3.60 crore.
It is being carried out by the State Highways to prevent flooding of localities around Chembarabakkam lake. It will enale excess rainwater to be discharged into Adyar river by a series of culvets along the stretch.
The work, which is expected to be completed in the next few months, might be delayed due to the northeast monsoon.
Residents say such crucial projects should be taken up after monsoon.
“The project was two months late due to delay in fund sanctioning,” says a State Highways official.