Stormwater drain work on Manapakkam Main Road, which was set in motion last September, is progressing sluggishly putting residents to great inconvenience.
As this stretch is three kilometres long, this situation leads to traffic congestion during rush hour.
Manapakkam Main Road is a key link road connecting Mount Poonamalle Road with Kundrathur Main Road. People from Kundrathur, Porur, Madhanandhapuram, Mugalivakkam, Kolapakkam and Gerugambakkam use this stretch.
J. Siva Kumar, another resident says “Now, motorists take a take a detour of one kilometre and go via Mugalivakkam Main Road. Also, motorists drive through the interior lanes, inconveniencing residents. It is very difficult to walk on these roads during rush hour.”
“Signboards indicating where diversions have to be taken are missing, and this results in more chaos,” says D. Kandaswamy, a resident.
“To facilitate the stormwater drain work, MTC bus route 54 B, which plies between Saidapet to Porur via Manapakkam Main Road, has not been allowed on this stretch from last October to January,” says N. R. Prabaker, a resident.
Residents also complain of intermittent disruption in landline telephone services.
“The underground telephone cables have got damaged. It has been over three months since my landline and broadband went out of order,” says resident Natarajan Ramanathan.
Residents have also pointed out that the Greater Chennai Corporation has to get started on the pending Manapakkam Main Road widening project.
“It has been three years since the Corporation planned to widen the road,” says P.R. Vijaykumar, a resident.
It has been over five years since Manapakkam became part of the Chennai Corporation. Yet, the neighbourhood has not got the required facilities such as underground sewage system and proper roads, say residents.
