Year-long civic work irks Padi Kuppam residents

The particular stretch had remained a motorist’s nightmare for long. After repeated representations, a good road was laid a few days prior to last year’s December deluge. However, the newly-laid roads have been dug up time and again by various authorities since then. 

Newly laid roads remain smooth only for brief period. Repeated digging for one reason or the other – be it for installation of storm water drains or re-laying of telecom cables or re-sizing storm water drains,the well-laid road is dug up, and reduces the available motorable space for residents and pedestrians alike. Prasitha Kumari,a resident who moved from Kolkata three years ago, says despite the fact that the road was laid newly only last year, the drainage system leaves a lot to be desired. “Water stagnates here turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” she says. Many residents say they are unable to understand why the repair works are dragging for so long. ‘It is a good thing the north-east monsoon has been so weak over the city. At least now I hope the authorities ensure the works are completed quickly,” says Usha Madhavan, a resident of an 8-apartment complex at Balaji Nagar.

Residents say that in the past, the oft-cited reasons for not taking up road works would either be blamed on unpredictable rains or the political compulsions. “We have seen different views expressed by different authorities. Even as we tried taking up the matter by knocking on the doors of the relevant authorities such as Metro Water or the Electricity Board or BSNL. Our hardship never seems to change or end,” rues Usha. Keshavan, another resident, of this area says, “We received assurances from political parties during polls but the elections are long over, and nothing much has moved,” he says. Basha, who owns a meat shop on the street says he is apprehensive that it could take at least five years for South Park Road to gain a smooth surface. 

When DTNext contacted officials, a senior engineer (Road), Greater Chennai Corporation, admitted that the road was bumpy after last year’s flood. “We will again inspect the road and explore possibilities of relaying it in a proper manner,” he assured and admitted they had received a flurry of complaints from the residents with regard to the issue.