Chennai: OMR residents demand urgent repair work of muddy, slushy service road

CHENNAI: Residents commuting along Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have raised concerns over the severely battered condition of Rajiv Gandhi Salai and its service road. The situation has turned hazardous after the recent rain, particularly on the service road near a private college and opposite an apartment complex in Semmancheri. 

Daily, thousands of motorists struggle through the damaged stretch, which serves as a vital entry and exit route for the residential complex. An intersection for vehicles moving from Navalur side towards Thoraipakkam in OMR takes a left turn to reach Semmencheri, the Perumbakkam resettlement site, and other residential complexes.

Lack of proper street lighting along the service road has compounded the danger for night commuters. Recently, a car’s back wheel got stuck in a deep pothole, forcing residents to issue an urgent appeal to the Highways Department before major accidents occur. 

“For over a year, we’ve had to think twice before stepping out,” said Maha Renuprakash, an OMR resident. “The temporary patch-up works done by the officials don’t even last a single day. With the monsoon setting in, a car recently got stuck on the service road and had to be pulled out. Will authorities step in and fix this permanently?”

Meanwhile, workers at a nearby site claimed that apartment complexes occasionally discharge accumulated rainwater directly onto the street, worsening stagnation. Addressing the issue, an official stated, “Storm water drain and sewage pipeline installations are under way at Nookampalayam Link Road to connect with Rajiv Gandhi Salai. Once these underground works are completed, relaying of the road works will begin immediately.”