The joy of residents of Nawabthottam in Woraiyur in having a road has become a temporary affair. After repeated plea by the residents, the city corporation re-laid the road about a year ago, only to dig it out about three months later under the drinking water supply project to Lingam Nagar and surrounding residential pockets.
A section of residents of Nawabthottam says that the delay in re-laying the road often results in mishaps. The Nawabthottam accounts for a main road of about 40 metre in width. Several lanes and by-lanes crisscross the area. An estimated 2,000 houses are located in this area.
Vehicle users particularly two-wheeler riders bear the brunt of the poor condition of the road. As a good part of the road dug out for putting the pipelines is not safe, a number of two-wheelers prefer to ride in the middle of the road, hindering the flow of traffic particularly the four-wheelers and heavy vehicles.
S. Ramaraj, who runs a snack stall, says their happiness over the road in the area was a momentary affair. The residents were suffering the ordeal for the past six months due to delay in re-laying the road. P. Subramanian, a resident of Weavers' Colony – one of the lanes in the Nawabthottam area, says the condition of the lanes was still worse. Though the corporation has buried the pipelines, the water supply was yet to be effected. Drainage channels were also not properly maintained, he says adding that many residents have put up some warning posts, cautioning the road users particularly strangers against the pits.
R. Arivudainambi, corporation councillor, says the digging of the road three months after re-laying it only testifies to the poor planning of the corporation. He says the corporation should have executed the water supply scheme before re-laying the road.
When contacted, Raja Mohamed, city engineer, said the supply of water to Lingam Nagar formed part of a comprehensive project being implemented in the city by setting up drinking water pipelines beside the railway track at Kudamurutti. The corporation got permission from the railways only recently and the work would commence shortly.
On re-laying of roads, he said that it could be taken up only after ascertaining the proper distribution of water without any hitch to the residential areas.
