CHENNAI: Residents and commuters in Kodambakkam have urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to expedite road re-laying on Sivan Koil Street, where unfinished sewage pipeline work has turned the key stretch into a severe dust hazard.
For the past two months, road cuts on the busy street connecting Arcot Road with Periyar Pathai, Anna Nedunpathai, and surrounding localities have remained covered only with gravel and wet mix macadam.
With thousands of vehicles using the road every day, the temporary surface dries up and generates dust, which settles on nearby commercial establishments and triggers dust allergies among shopkeepers and pedestrians.
Praveen Kumar, a resident of Choolaimedu, said the temporary patchwork had also compromised road safety and contributed to traffic congestion during morning and evening peak hours. Loose gravel frequently causes two-wheeler riders to skid and lose balance while braking, he said.
“At least two accidents occur on this stretch every day. Victims are forced to spend heavily on medical treatment for injuries that could have been avoided if the road had been properly relaid,” Kumar said.
Vegetable shop owners said they were forced to wear masks throughout the day and repeatedly clean their racks because of the dust.
Residents have urged the CMWSSB and GCC to improve coordination and complete the work at the earliest.
A GCC official said the sewage pipeline installation covered 150 metres, of which only 50 metres had been completed so far. “Wet mix will continue to be filled as a temporary measure. Full road resurfacing will commence immediately after Metro Water completes the remaining 100 metres of pipeline work,” the official.