Chennai: It's called the point of no return. The Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), Chennai's premier IT corridor, lies in disarray since toll collection on the stretch stopped to facilitate Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) work. This 25-kilometre stretch, connecting Madhya Kailash to Siruseri, is now a testament to bureaucratic apathy.
Unlike other roads maintained by GCC that at least receive basic patchwork, OMR, the city's first IT expressway, has remained largely neglected. Key segments, particularly near the World Trade Centre in Thoraipakkam, AGS Mall in Navalur, Sholinganallur police station and Semmenchery are riddled with potholes. Service lanes, recently integrated with the main thoroughfare by building a slope, are now uneven and deteriorating, posing risks for motorists, said Satish G, a resident-activist from OMR.
In the original design of the township of 2004-05, service lanes were intended to host three underground drains to manage excess rainwater, telecom, power cables and gas lines. However, these channels are now filled with mud, forcing utility projects such as the ongoing domestic gas supply installation by AG&P to dig new trenches. Metro water activities have also contributed to the current state of affairs.
"OMR is nobody's baby now," said Harsh Koda from the federation of OMR residents association (FOMRRA). "The highways department says it has handed road maintenance over to CMRL, but when we approach CMRL, it deflected the responsibility to GCC. It's a never-ending loop," said Koda.
Heavy rain-led inundation compounds OMR's issues, causing traffic bottlenecks. Makeshift U-turns along Thalambur junction to Sholinganallur stretch had been recently removed, forcing motorists to take lengthy 2.5-km detours. Additionally, foot overbridges, once essential for pedestrian safety, were demolished recently and have not been replaced with pedestrian crossings, leaving significant safety gaps unaddressed.
The sole active project — a second U-bridge at Tidel Park junction — has faced multiple delays. While the main bridge structure is nearly ready, the connecting arm towards Ascendas remains unfinished. This delay has resulted after the contractor accidentally damaged underground cables. These issues have since been rectified, and the project is slated for completion by this month's end, according to SA Raman, managing director of Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation.
Responding to questions about the road's deteriorating condition, Raman confirmed that maintenance of OMR has been transferred to CMRL, which is conducting periodic repairs.
CMRL is yet to address queries on the matter.