With considerable delay in completion of stormwater drain work in Ramapuram, the roads in the locality are pothole-ridden and uneven.
According to residents, roads have been relaid only in Kothari Nagar, following completion of stormwater drain work.
“In Kannadasan Nagar and Gangai Avenue, stormwater drain work was completed three months ago but the roads have not been relaid. At Amman Nagar, Kurunji Nagar, Royala Nagar and at a few other localities, stormwater drain work is moving a tardy pace. It has to be completed at the earliest,” says S. Jayaraman, a resident of Gangai Avenue in Rampuram.
Motorists from Guindy go through Ramapuram as is provides them with a shorter route to reach Arcot Road. Otherwise, they have to go up to Porur junction.
“There is a heavy traffic on most of these roads as they are approach roads to many schools located in and around Ramapuram. Those working at DLF and L&T also use these stretches. After a downpour, these roads become slippery. Following the sharp shower on Monday, these were instances of motorists skidding and falling,” adds Jayaraman.
Residents say there was no heavy rain in 2016 and they could manage somehow.
“Rainwater from other localities — Royala Nagar, Vivekananda Nagar, Jai Balaji Nagar, Valasaravakkam Keshavardhini, Kaikuppam Nagar and Nesapakkam — flow into Amman Nagar as it is a low-lying area,” says S. Vasu, another resident.
“Another major impediment that is slowing down the progress of stormwater drain work is encroachments in form of unauthorised buildings near the banks of the Adyar river. Those encroachments obstruct the construction of stormwater drain channel into the Adyar river,” says S. Venkatesan, joint secretary, Amman Andal Nagar Welfare Association.
Residents also pointed out that the banks of the Adyar river have not been de-silted properly.
“Only a portion of the river bank (that is the river bank behind the Airport to Manapakkam IAS Colony) has been desilted. The rest of the stretch — that is from the bridge near MIOT Hospital to Jhafferkhanpet — has not been desilted yet,” says I.S. Satheesh, another joint secretary of the Association.
