CHENNAI: Residents of Selaivayal in Kodungaiyur have urged the Greater Chennai Corporation to speed up the stormwater drain works on Kadumpadi Amman Koil Street, a key stretch used by thousands of motorists every day.
The locality has 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 the street serves as a vital route for commuters travelling towards Manali. Students, officegoers and other road users face considerable hardship while navigating the stretch daily, he said.
According to him, 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. He called upon civic authorities to expedite the prolonged 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 must be deployed to complete the remaining stretch at the earliest.
A college student, requesting anonymity, said it takes more than 15 minutes to reach the college from Tondiarpet High Road during peak hours due to the ongoing work. The area is also experiencing significant dust pollution, the student added.
Echoing the concern, shop owner C Ganesh said batch-wise stormwater drain works are under way. Workers dug up the old drain last Saturday to lay a new one, increasing dust pollution in the locality. He urged the Corporation to clear the stretch using sweeper machines.
A GCC official said the works commenced in February. Of the proposed 650 metres, about 250 metres have been completed so far. Steps would be taken to deploy more workers to expedite the project, the official said, adding that signboards would be installed a few metres ahead of the turning to prevent accidents.