Residents of Maruthi Nagar Main Road and Jain Nagar First Main Road, Hasthinapuram, have appealed to the Pallavapuram Municipality to take steps to close the open sewer drains and re-lay the roads that have been dug up for laying Under Ground Drainage (UGD) lines.
“The open sewer drains are not only a health hazard to residents, but also a safety threat to road-users. Maruthi Nagar Main Road is so narrow that two vehicles cannot pass through the stretch simultaneously. There is no space for pedestrians and they are forced to use the edge of the UGD system, especially during rush hour,” residents said.
“The thoroughfare provides easy access to Hasthinapuram from Nemilichery and is used by hundreds of children studying at the Municipality Primary and High School,” residents pointed out. The residents have also requested the authorities concerned to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles, especially water tankers, during rush hour. The drains have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and can thereby spread vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.
“Though steps are taken by the authorities concerned to de-silt the drains, it is not done at periodic intervals. The workers, after de-silting the drains, dump the silt on the road and it is not cleared immediately. Whenever it rains, sewage overflows on to the thoroughfare as there are no discharge points,” K. Sanjaya Kumar, secretary, Jain Nagar Residents Welfare Association, complained.
There were also appeals from the residents of Jain Nagar First Main Road to re-lay the battered road. Though UGD Lines have been laid and Metrowater house pipeline connections have been given, the road is yet to be re-laid. They also pointed out that the situation worsens during monsoon.
