In February, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court questioned the Madurai City Corporation as to why the width of the arterial road leading to Surveyor Colony from Mattuthavani was not maintained at 120 feet.
The court, hearing a contempt petition, asked for a report to be submitted on action taken to maintain the road, with regard to filling potholes and removing encroachments on this road. The court observed that roads should have been relaid once in every five years. This is one of many contempt petitions filed on the state of bad roads in the city.
The High Court Bench has been hearing a number of petitions seeking directions to carry out repair work on some of the arterial roads in Madurai. The court has observed that the roads should be maintained as per guidelines stipulated by the Indian Road Congress (IRC). The High Court Bench has posted one of the contempt petitions for further hearing to June 15.
Advocate Subash Babu, who filed a public interest litigation seeking removal of encroachments on the Moondrumavadi-Iyer Bungalow Main Road and for widening of the road, has filed a contempt petition in the case.
He says, “It has been six years now and the directions given by the court have not been complied with. Many school students and office-goers use the road and in its current state, it is hard to commute along this stretch”. He adds that though the authorities have removed encroachments, if immediate steps are not initiated to widen the road, the encroachers will resurface soon.
Advocate G. Prabhu Rajadurai, who filed a public interest litigation with regard to the Surveyor Colony-Mattuthavani stretch, says laying medians on the middle of roads not only narrows down the road, but also poses threat to vehicle users. “Speed discipline doesn’t necessarily mean installing speed-breakers, rather the speed of the vehicles should be regulated,” he said.
People should be educated and disciplined on road usage and speed control. “Being the gateway to southern districts of the State, Madurai will stand to lose out on investments if the arterial roads are in such a bad shape.” He adds that patch work in the name of repairs will not serve the purpose as once the monsoon arrives, the continuous rains will disintegrate the patches.
Some of the commuters also share the same view with regard to patch-up work on roads. V. Murugesan, an autorickshaw driver, says patching up the road is only a surface level treatment and once the patches come off, it will be back to square one.
K. Pandi, another autorickshaw driver, says Lake View Road that branches off from Melur Road in Mattuthavani towards Anna Nagar also needs attention. He says for years together this road remains uncared for. Especially, the Sivaganga Road junction at Melamadai is in a very bad shape. The bad roads also leave vehicle users with back pain and other health issues.
K.P. Samuel, a retired teacher and a resident of K.K. Nagar, says the broad median on Lake View Road has narrowed down the road. A huge transformer remains very close to the road and poses a threat to road users. “It is not only the main roads, but also the other roads in the interior areas cry for attention”, Mr. Samuel says.
Last year, the monsoon left puddles all along many roads. After a petition was made to the corporation, repair works were carried out. However, the roads have been affected by water logging following fresh bouts of rain, he says.
Speaking to The Hindu , Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar said repair works on Gokhale Road had been completed. Work on Lake View Road was going on a war-footing. However, there were no plans to relay this whole stretch.
City Engineer A. Mathuram says funds have been allocated for repair works and patch work would be taken up on roads needing attention.
