Every time it rains, residents of parts of West Mambalam dread stepping out onto the roads. Several stretches of roads across the city remain in a shambles as they are yet to be blacktopped after development works, complain residents.
For residents of Hanumar Koil Street, West Mambalam, travelling on the slushy road is more of a harrowing experience after a short spell of rains. T.S.Krishna, a resident of West Mambalam, said though the Chennai Metrowater had completed improvement work in the street a month ago, the road has not been levelled up. “Several people take this route to reach West Mambalam railway station. The authorities concerned must take measures to blacktop the road before the Northeast monsoon,” he said.
Residents from several other parts of the city also have similar woes. Roads, including 14th Main Road in Anna Nagar, Kurinji Nagar, Rajiv Nagar in Perungudi and Puthagaram in Kolathur, remain damaged for several months now. Senior citizens often find it difficult to negotiate such stretches. Commuters too suffer as small buses to interior areas are diverted due to bad roads.
M.Karunanidhi, a resident of Anna Nagar West said Metrowater had dug up the roads in Kambar Colony to improve the carrying capacity of the sewer lines several months ago. Though complaints were made to Chennai Corporation, residents said they are still awaiting a solution. “We were promised by officials that measures would be taken to repair the road by September end. But, nothing has been done so far,” he added.
Residents of Perungudi complain that they are the worst affected as Metrowater has been carrying out digging work for over a year now either for drainage or water supply projects. “Some of the works are being executed again as the location of the sewage treatment plant have been changed. Several school buses are delayed as they have to ply on the damaged roads,” said S.Madhavan, a resident of Kurinji Nagar.
Sources in Chennai Metrowater said new works have not been taken up. “We have asked the Corporation to at least level up or repair the dug up roads,” they added.
