Re-lay damaged road before monsoon, Porur residents urge Chennai Corporation

CHENNAI: Bad roads have become the norm these days but residents and activists in some neighbourhoods have been diligent in their efforts in getting the civic body to resolve the problem in their respective areas.

The road leading to the Chettiyar Agaram First Main Road in Porur has been missing ever since the Metro Water board carried out the underground sewage pipeline work in the locality. What remains is just mud, stagnated water and a lot of slush.

“The Metro Water board completed the sewage connection work in January. The Corporation should have immediately re-laid the road but it hasn’t been done till now,” said V Pugalventhan, a civic activist. “It’s even more urgent now considering that the northeast monsoon season will begin in less than two months. And, it’s one of the arterial roads that connects the main road to other interior streets in the locality.”

Though the ward member is aware of the situation, residents complained that she has not visited the area despite numerous petitions. “When service departments dig up the road, they take away the soil and do not fill it to level up. So, when vehicles put pressure on the muddy soil, it could indent low enough for the newly-laid pipelines to break,” pointed out Pugalventhan.

Denizens lamented over the lack of monitoring and inspection by zonal officials especially on the ongoing developmental works in the area. Only a contractor supervises the works, and he, too, is dismissive with his responses when residents raise questions about the works.

When contacted, a senior GCC official said, “Tender and fund allotment for re-laying roads have been completed. The road would be repaired and finished within the stipulated time.”