Six months after Rs1.2 cr promise, Noombal main road still crumbles

CHENNAI: A bike got stuck, a truck's back tyre punctured, and a car nearly broke down - all within an 800-metre into the Noombal Main Road. This road, deemed "impossible to commute" by locals, was promised a makeover six months ago for Rs. 1.2 crore. Today, it's barely passable.

"This has been the condition for six years. We now advise customers to bring in their cars only if necessary, " said the manager of a nearby Maruti Suzuki service centre. "When it rains, we simply can't deliver the vehicles."

Located near Tiruverkadu, the 1.2 km Noombal Main Road connects Velappanchavadi with Iyyappanthangal and is a key corridor for heavy vehicles as it houses industrial units and shipping companies. Residents and commuters alike say the stretch becomes impassable even after a brief shower.

"Even without rain, it's impossible to ride here. They have dug the road for storm water works and left it like this for months," said a truck driver who works for a cement factory.

As reported in the media in 2024, Tiruverkadu Municipal Commissioner N Dakshinamoorthy had stated that a detailed project report had been prepared to relay the road under the ‘Namukku Naame Thittam’ scheme at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore. He also had said that given the constant movement of heavy vehicles, the road would be laid with quality on par with national highways. The work was expected to be completed by March 2025. But as of June, no change is visible.

"There are so many apartments here. But, none of the facilities can be accessible. When it rains, school vans stop coming. We're forced to walk out and take a 3 km detour to reach Iyyappanthangal. Children don't come out to play, and women avoid commuting at night since there are no streetlights," said a resident. "It's like house arrest for us during the rains."

When contacted by DT Next, the Commissioner attributed the delay to a lag in technical approvals. "The tender was finalised on June 6. Work will begin soon," he said.

But locals remain sceptical. " Let the rainy season pass" is what they said last year. It's already June. I have been here for years, and I am unable to find employees because of this road condition," said a tile showroom owner.

Frustrated by inaction, local groups are now mobilising. "Taxes have skyrocketed, but we still don't have a usable road. If the municipality doesn't begin work by June 23, we'll start laying the road ourselves from the 24th by pooling funds," said Yuvaraj of the Public Environment and Awareness Society.