The locality houses three schools and a college, and the narrow road witnesses heavy traffic during morning and evening peak hours. Residents say the slow pace of work has worsened congestion and posed safety risks.

D Gopal, a long-time resident of Selaivayal, said that the street served as a vital route for commuters travelling towards Manali. “Students, office-goers and other road users face considerable hardship while navigating the stretch daily,” he added. “Construction delays near Sivan Koil have turned Ragavan Nagar Road, which connects to Kadumpadi Amman Koil Street, into a bottleneck and an accident-prone zone. The civic body must expedite the work, failing which residents would launch a protest and signature campaign.”

Owners of commercial establishments on Kadumpadi Amman Koil Street also complained that the works were progressing slowly. On Tuesday, workers replaced damaged pipes connecting the drain and drinking water lines. Traders said more workers should be deployed to complete the remaining stretch at the earliest.

A college student lamented, “It takes more than 15 minutes to reach college from Tondiarpet High Road during peak hours because of the ongoing work. There’s also a problem of significant dust pollution.”