Rain shows up pathetic roads across Chennai

CHENNAI: It’s the same old story playing on a loop year after year. Last week’s incessant rain exposed the battered condition of roads in Ram Nagar, Srinivasa Nagaland surrounding areas in Madipakkam, making commute difficult for motorists and pedestrians.
While many roads are already in a shoddy state, residents of Madipakkam said government agencies and private internet service providers have dug up roads at several locations.
“The craters on roads are dangerous for motorists when it rains... many have fell down. In addition to this, these artificial pits are not barricaded and pose further risks at night,” said S Srinivasan, a resident of Ram Nagar.
Neighbourhoods such as Ram Nagar, Srinivasa Nagar, Sadasiva Nagar and Kuberan Nagar get submerged if it rains in excess. “Even now, you can see several vacant plots here have got submerged in water. These are breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” said G Govindasamy, a resident of Kuberan Nagar.
People living in Arivoli street near Ram Nagar (north) said their road has remained battered for years and despite several representations, no action has been taken for years.
Apart from the callousness of the local body in addressing these issues, movement of metro water tankers in interior roads also worsens the condition, local residents said.
There is a metro water filling station in Annai Theresa street in Puzhuthi-vakkam and all metro water tankers use interior roads in Ram Nagar and Srinivasa Nagar to travel. Apart from denting the roads, the tankers operate at dangerous speeds and pose risk to motorists, say residents.
“People are scared- to ride their vehicles or even walk. We all know how rash these water tankers are driven,” said N Rajesh, a cab driver.
An engineer in Zone 14-Perungudi of Chennai Corporation said that the civic body will take up repair of interior roads before the monsoon this year. “Even before, when the roads were damaged by metro water tankers, we used to patch them up from time to time. Before monsoon begins, we will take up repair work,” said the engineer.