Chennai: Bigger potholes, wider even stretches make Paper Mills Road dangerous to navigate

CHENNAI: The monsoon showers have increased the damage on several stretches of Paper Mills Road in Perambur, making navigation a nightmare for motorists. Since the road had been damaged more than a month ago, intermittent rainfall has widened the potholes, and made the uneven portions wider.

Motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, lamented the risk of accidents at many portions of Paper Mills Road such as near Sembium, Venus and Peravallur bus stops and Krishna Store. MTC buses, cars and two-wheelers use this stretch regularly, with traffic remaining heavy during morning and evening peak hours. 

Speaking to DT Next, Praveen, a resident of Perambur, said, “The tar surface has come off after the rains in the past few weeks making the potholes bigger. Dust raised by passing vehicles also affects pedestrians walking along the roadside. The Corporation should take immediate steps to re-lay the damaged portions of the road.” 

Another resident, Kannan, pointed out that motorists were forced to slow down and manoeuvre their vehicles to avoid potholes, resulting in traffic congestion during morning and evening hours. “The underbody of two-wheelers also gets scraped against the road while negotiating the potholes. In poorly lit stretches, motorists cannot spot the potholes at night. This increases the risk of accidents,” he added.

A senior Corporation official told this reporter that temporary repair works were being carried out on the damaged stretches of Paper Mills Road. “Potholes are being filled to improve road conditions and ensure smoother movement of vehicles,” he added.