CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced the lift of ban on road cutting, effective from December 18, after 94 days. Corporation Commissioner Kumaragurubaran sanctioned the decision, which comes in response to prevailing emergency requirements and a reduction in rainfall during the northeast monsoon.
According to the GCC, every year, before the onset of the monsoon, the permissions for road cuts are completely banned. This year, this practice was implemented from September 15.
All service departments and service providers must obtain prior permission for road cutting by submitting a detailed plan of action to the permission-issuing authorities. Works shall be taken up after getting the permission.
Road cutting shall be carried out on footpaths or along the edges of the carriageway, and cutting on the main carriageway must be avoided as far as possible. Complying with that, all assistant commissioners must ensure that men and materials are kept ready under the road restoration tenders, so that works can begin immediately upon issuance of completion certificates without delay.
The works must adhere to the GCC specifications and timelines, ensuring early and proper restoration of roads. All assistant commissioners, service departments and service providers of the respective zones are directed to strictly adhere to the above instruction.
Bhagwathi Das, a resident of Neelankarai, opined, “Lifting the rod cut ban is fine but officials have to quickly complete the pending and disconnected storm water drain works in Neelankarai and its neighbourhoods.”
An official in the Corporation said that the revocation would help the Metro Water board to complete “all the halted projects before the onset of north east monsoon in core and extended areas of GCC”.