A few months after completion of first ‘smart’ road — Veereswaram East Street — in Tiruchi, the Corporation has begun work on the second ‘smart’ road — Veereswaram West Street — in Srirangam.
Construction of rainwater harvesting structure, covered cable ducts and stormwater drain are among the chief features of the smart road project to be implemented at an estimate of ₹80 lakh.
Besides, the 275-metre-long West Street inVeereswaram will have a cement road from end to end. The civic body has planned to complete the project within two months.
But residents of Veereswaram, who were apprehensive of the quality of work on the smart road laid on East Street, have demanded that the Corporation officials ensure quality of work on West Street.
The smart road on East Street, laid at an estimated ₹48 lakh, has a rainwater harvesting mechanism and stormwater drain. The concrete road with storm water drain was thrown open to the public in August. The scheme was implemented on a pilot basis by the Corporation.
The smart road on Veereswaram East Street has been laid end to end covering almost the entire road space. While nearly 80% of the space is covered by concrete, a portion of the roadside has been devoted for underground drainage and drinking water connections to buildings.
There are rainwater harvesting boxes on the concrete road, thereby enabling the water to flow into the earth through holes drilled for a depth of about 20 feet.
Before laying the road, all underground drainage and water connections were given to all residents.
Just seven months have passed since the completion of the smart road project. But, local residents point out the emergence of well-developed cracks at various places on the road.
“We thought it was really a smart road in the initial stage. But, it is like any other road. Within a short span of time, we find damages at various locations,” says C. Kumar, a long-time resident of Veereswaram East Street.
“The civic officials should make sure to ensure quality of work on West Street,” he pointed out.