CHENNAI: Thiru Vi Ka Road in Royapettah has made commuting a nightmare for motorists, and also for pedestrians. Recent storm water drain (SWD) work has damaged the road, claimed shop owners and commuters, who also lamented the poor quality of patchwork carried out in the area.

Potholes and bumps are visible on the entire stretch, and these become bigger when MTC buses ply on the road frequently.

“This famous road is now nothing but a stretch filled with dust and dumps, as Metro Rail and SWD works have ruined them. You cannot blame the CMRL fully, as the metro water had dug up the road during the monsoon season, which made the patchwork difficult, as rain damaged it every time the road was relaid,” observed a staff from a shop.

He recalled that they initially laid the tar, but potholes appeared when it rained, and the buses commuting through this road made it worse. “Then came the concrete, but it became even worse as the road turned bumpy, causing motorists to skid. Till now, no permanent action has been taken by the authorities to restore the roads,” he added.

The situation worsens when the road is flooded, as potholes become invisible, causing accidents. There are several schools and a hospital near the road, which makes it all the more important to fix the problems quickly.

When contacted, a Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) official said, “The road relaying works will be carried out once the Metro Water works are complete.”

A Metro Water Department official added: “The project is on hold for now due to the ongoing monsoon season and is expected to resume in January or February.”