For many motorists, travelling through B.V. Colony to reach Erukkancheri High (EH) Road near Vyasarpadi in north Chennai might cut down on distance and save time, but it comes with the risk of negotiating a badly-battered stretch.
B.V. Colony 8 Street, which starts near Melpatti Ponnappan Street and leads to EH Road via Shastri Nagar, is a short route linking areas in Perambur particularly B.B. Road on one end, and connecting areas near Vyasarpadi including Sharma Nagar and MKB Nagar on the other.
However, residents of Shastri Nagar and B.V. Colony said the road was in terrible condition, and only worsened during the rains.
“The street is used by several motorists and autorickshaw drivers throughout the day. This is a preferred shortcut but is in bad shape, causing severe hardships to pedestrians and motorists alike,” said Guruswamy, a resident of B.V. Colony.
There are nearly 30 streets — including interior lanes — in B.V. Colony, but only a handful have been laid.
Manoharan, another resident said the stretch has been damaged for several years now. “The road is filled with potholes. When it rains, water stagnates in these potholes worsening its condition. Motorists find it tough to negotiate their way on this stretch, but several continue to use it as it cuts down considerably on the distance they need to travel,” he said.
Shopkeepers said a number of motorists have fallen off their vehicles as their fail to notice water-filled potholes. “We find it difficult to take our children to school in this area, as it is hazardous to even walk on these streets. Barring two or three streets, the entire B.V. Colony area has no proper roads. We have to wade through knee-deep water during the rains, as the whole stretch is invariably water-logged” said Amudha, a resident of 7 street.
Officials of the Chennai Corporation they were aware about the bad road conditions in B.V. Colony and its surrounding areas, and will take up road-laying work soon. “We were waiting for Chennai Metrowater to complete their pipeline-laying work in the area. They have now completed the work. “We will take up the work once the rains stop,” an official said.
street is in a bad shape posing a tough time for motorists. (Eom)
