The one-way Woods Road and a portion of the Thiru Vi Kaa Road (earlier known as G.P. Road) remains a no man’s land as civic officials of Zone – 5 (Royapuram) and Zone – 9 (Teynampet) of the Greater Chennai Corporation, pass the buck over its maintenance saying it does not come under their jurisdiction.
The combined stretch, which roughly falls within Woods Road intersection and the clock tower, lies in what is border region for both these zones.
Unfortunately, frequent leakage in the decades-old underground drainage pipelines on Thiru Vi Kaa Road, especially near its intersection with Woods Road, has only worsened the condition of the stretch for motorists and pedestrians.
Chennai Metrowater should attend to the leakage on the pipelines to prevent the continuous deterioration of the stretch as overflowing sewage soaks the bitumen resulting in the damage to the stretch.
“Thiru vi Kaa Road and Woods Road witness chaotic traffic round-the-clock with motorists struggling to travel on these stretches safely as they are ridden with potholes. Dust from the potholes are harmful to children, who go with their parents on motorcycles on these stretches,” says K. Paramasivam, a motorist from Triplicane.
Tucked away between Anna Salai and Triplicane High Road, Thiru Vi Kaa Road and Woods Road together make a lifeline for residents of Royapettah, Chepauk and Triplicane, as they provide access to other important localities.
Many essential shops are located on these stretches. More importantly, the Zam Bazaar market, which houses 200 shops and many hawkers for decades, is easily accessible from these two stretches with residents in localities like Ice House, Royapettah, Triplicane, Chepauk and Thousand Lights depend on the market for their daily needs.
Along with Whites Road, the two stretches have remained one-way routes since the Chennai Metro Rail work started on Anna Salai seven years ago in 2012. At present, the stretch on Anna Salai from Thiru. Vi. Ka Road junction to Wellington junction is a one-way with entry from Whites Road junction towards the LIC Buildings. Whites Road is a one-way with entry from Royapettah tower clock. Attempts to restore two-way routes on these stretches were put on hold mainly to prevent traffic snarls as these stretches are narrow with little scope for widening.
Woods Road and the portion of Thiru Vi Kaa Road have not been re-laid for years; only patch works have been carried out on them based on complaints from road users.
Corporation officials say that due to their location in the border of the two zones, neither of these zones was able to repair the two stretches and re-lay them as they were allowed to spend only on those stretches that fall clearly within their zonal limits.
“Such decisions on demarcation of boundaries of areas within civic body limits should be taken at the headquarters of the civic body. Only after clear demarcation can complete relaying of these stretches be carried out by the respective zone,” says a Corporation official.