CHENNAI: The ongoing stormwater drain construction on Anna Nagar 2nd Avenue has led to safety concerns, traffic inconvenience, and business disruptions, with residents and traders urging authorities to speed up the work while ensuring proper safety measures.
Anna Nagar 2nd Avenue is one of the key roads connecting the locality to Jawaharlal Nehru Road and witnesses heavy vehicular movement daily. The stretch also functions as a busy commercial hub, housing several well-known Indian and international brand outlets.
For the past two months, the Greater Chennai Corporation has been undertaking stormwater drain construction along this road. However, at several points, safety measures at the work sites are inadequate, posing risks to motorists, especially two-wheeler riders, and pedestrians.
Karuppasamy, a shop owner on 2nd Avenue, said the work initially progressed at a good pace but has slowed down in recent days. He added that the prolonged construction has created parking issues for customers, directly affecting business.
A local resident, Ravi, said the stormwater drain is essential to prevent flooding during the rainy season. However, he pointed out that the ongoing election period may be affecting the pace of work. He suggested that if delays were unavoidable, the digging could have been scheduled after the elections to avoid inconvenience.
He further noted that in some locations, proper barricades are missing, increasing the risk of accidents. Ravi urged officials not to delay the project further due to election-related activities and to ensure adequate safety arrangements at all construction points.