Slippery, slushy road makes rain unbearable for Periyar Nagar residents

CHENNAI: Morning showers in the city on Monday brought temporary respite from the scorching heat for many, but left residents of Periyar Nagar battling slushy, hazardous roads due to incomplete infrastructure work.

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) had dug up multiple streets for sewage pipeline installation.

Works began in late March on Periyar Nagar first to fourth streets, and finished over 2 weeks ago. But the roads were left unpaved leaving pedestrians, office-goers, and commuters frustrated, especially after the mild showers.

E Shanmugam, a sixth street resident, highlighted the post-rain chaos saying: “The roads turned slippery, causing several two-wheeler accidents in the morning.”

S Prathap, another resident, noted deteriorating conditions even on dry days, alongside rising concerns about stray dogs on third street after dark. While an on-site supervisor claimed excess mud had been cleared and roads were levelled using earthmovers, residual debris continued to inconvenience residents.

When contacted, a CMWSSB official clarified that completed pipeline work on streets 1–4 had been handed over to the GCC for road restoration. “House service connections (HSC) on streets 5–7 are underway, with a deadline set before schools reopen in June,” added the official.

Residents now await urgent repairs to mitigate risks, pointing out that coordinated efforts between civic agencies were needed urgently to address both infrastructure gaps and public safety concerns.