An apology for a road

September 19, 2016 12:00 am | Updated November 01, 2016 07:30 pm IST - PUDUCHERRY:

Residents struggle as buses have stopped plying on Vaithikuppam Road

bumpy ride:The road at Pappammal Koil Street in Vaithikuppam which is yet to be restored. —Photo: T. Singaravelou

bumpy ride:The road at Pappammal Koil Street in Vaithikuppam which is yet to be restored. —Photo: T. Singaravelou

The mini buses operated by the Puducherry Road Transport Corporation has stopped plying on Vaithikuppam Road after authorities failed to restore the stretch putting residents to hardship.

The municipality had dug up the road for 300 metres on Paapammal Koil Street to lay new electric cables to connect two transformers to supply power to a flat. In addition to this, Public Works Department (PWD) had raised the level of manholes on a stretch of 750 metres on Vaithikuppam Road.

Although the work has been completed, the authorities are yet to commence road re-laying work forcing PRTC to divert the bus services to another locality. This had forced residents of Kuruchikuppam, Pillayar Koil Street, Vanniar Street, and Pappammal Koil Street to travel on foot to reach their destination.

Selvi M., a resident of Vaithikuppam, said she had to walk at least 1 km to board a bus which was easily accessible closer to her house. “From the time they started digging the roads, the bus had no space to ply on this narrow stretch. We thought that this ordeal would end as soon as the work is completed. But it looks like we have to wait till the government decides to restore the road,” she said.

Even motorists are finding it difficult to manoeuvre these manholes, now closed, on this stretch. “The roads are pathetic. We are suffering without proper road. We had to negotiate the narrow space left for people to walk or ride when they were working on the manholes. After finishing the work, they have covered only the manholes without repairing the roads. When will they restore the roads?” asked Prakash, a motorist of Vazhakulam.

Karthikeyan who takes this road to reach Vaithikuppam every day, said the least the officials could do was to ensure that the roads were restored and properly asphalted after opening the manholes. “I am forced to take other parallel roads to reach my destination. The civic body should take some responsibility in ensuring a safe infrastructure for the schoolchildren or elders,” he said.

“The people residing close to the Public Works Department pumping station in Kuruchikuppam have been facing problems because of the overflowing drain. When the flow of sewage to the pumping station increases, it overflows in the manholes affecting the residents. They have been suffering for the past 15 years. Hence, the PWD took up the work to increase the level of the manhole. They have just completed this work,” said local MLA K. Lakshminarayanan.

Mr. Lakshminarayanan added that since the level of manholes had increased, the civic authorities had to raise the level of the road. “A tender has to be called and it would at least cost Rs. 30 lakh to Rs. 40 lakh to restore this road. Considering the pace at which the officials work, it would take at least a month for restoration,” he said.

When contacted, Public Works Department Chief Engineer P. Swaminathan said that they had received a complaint from the local MLA. “We will restore the road as soon as possible,” he said.

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