No respite for south Chennai residents as rain hits battered roads

CHENNAI: The northeast monsoon rain drenched Chennai on Saturday, adding to the woes of commuters already struggling with battered and potholed roads. Residents in South Chennai have been the worst affected, grappling with deteriorating road conditions for several months.

For the past four months, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) have been carrying out stormwater drain (SWD) and sewage pipeline installation works at Secretary Colony, Thoraipakkam. During the rain, roads in the colony become non-motorable.

“In case of an emergency, ambulances refuse to enter the area, citing the poor road conditions, as vehicle wheels often get stuck in the mud,” said K Shyam, a resident of Thoraipakkam.

A month ago, when residents approached GCC and Metro Water officials, they were told that the installation of drinking water pipelines was under way. “As the monsoon is approaching, we will stop the work and level the road within a week,” officials reportedly said at the time.

S Swaminathan, Secretary of the Confederation of Sholinganallur Constituency Residents Welfare Associations, said, “Thousands of people live in areas such as Kumaran Kudil Nagar, Parthasarathy Nagar, Shankar Srinivasan Salai, and Devaraj Avenue. For the past six months, SWD, sewage, and drinking water pipeline works have been going on. The lack of coordination between the GCC and CMWSSB is the main reason for the delay, along with pending payments to contractors. We urge the officials to complete the work at the earliest.”

During the rains, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers struggle to pass through the muddy, slushy roads. “It takes nearly 15 minutes to reach Old Mahabalipuram Road,” added Shyam.

Residents of Pallikaranai also complained of poor road conditions. “The interior roads in Pallikaranai and the Tambaram–Velachery Main Road are in bad shape. Thousands of vehicles get stuck in traffic during peak hours. Encroachments must be removed to ensure smooth traffic flow,” said D Raman, a resident.

A senior GCC official said, “In extended areas such as Palavakkam, Kottivakkam, Thoraipakkam, Neelankarai, and nearby localities, the Metro Water Department has been carrying out sewage pipeline installation works on 600 to 700 roads. These roads were recently handed over to the Corporation. Our officials and workers are deployed round-the-clock to restore them, and once the rain stops, the issues will be addressed within a week.”