Every year, after the rains, motorists in the city have to battle two problems: potholes and dust-filled roads.
In a city which has more than 350 km of bus route roads managed by the Chennai Corporation, cleaning of roads is one area that remains neglected.
A few arterial roads, including Anna Salai and Poonamallee High Road, are maintained by the State highways department.
T. Gunaseelan, who commutes by two-wheeler from Ambattur to his office on Anna Salai, finds the combination of exhaust fumes from poorly-maintained buses and mud debris from rain-damaged roads unbearable.
It could also pose various health hazards, apart from the risk of accidents caused due to irritation in the eye and vision problems.
In his post on the Friends of Chennai (FOC) website, a social initiative by The Hindu , Mr. Gunaseelan says, several roads such as Mayor Kabalamurthy Salai, Velachery Main Road, Suryanarayana Road in Royapuram, Tiruvottiyur High Road, P.T. Rajan Salai, Anna Salai and C.T.H. Road have turned into dust bowls, thanks to the inaction on the part of the civic body in removing mud from roads.
Anand Balan R., a resident of Karayanchavadi, says he suffers from breathing problems, driving frequently between Porur and New Avadi Road. He faults the Corporation authorities for not bringing in a system, similar to conservancy operations, to clean arterial roads.
Alston Daril, in his post on the FOC site, says bikers wearing white shirts have little chance of reaching their workplace without being covered in black exhaust fumes and dust.
A senior official of the civic body says there is no separate department to take care of cleaning roads, especially bus routes, and it is the responsibility of local officials in the 15 zones to clean roads in their divisions.
