Though four years have passed since underground drainage pipelines were laid by the Avadi municipality on Ellaiyathamman Koil Street in Pattabiram the stretch is yet to receive the benefits of a proper road-relaying exercise.
Together with IAF Road, to which it is connected, Ellaiyathamman Koil Street provides connectivity to residents of Muthaputhupet, Mittanamalli, Pattabiram, Bharathiyar Nagar, Uzhaipalar Nagar and Sabir Nagar to the central parts of Avadi including its municipal office, taluk office and sub-registrar office on New Military Road.
Students and office-goers also use the stretch to reach the Pattabiram railway station. The stretch can be used to reach Hindu College on CTH Road. More importantly, with the Engine Factory (EF) belonging to the Ministry of Defence located near the stretch, it is part of the route used for the movement of defence vehicles including trailer lorries carrying army equipment.
“After the drainage work, the street became uneven due to improper levelling by the local body. Even temporary relaying of the stretch with blue metal has not been done so far,” says S. Kandan, a resident of Pattabiram.
The condition of the stretch got worse during the 2015 floods, and a year later, due to the damage wrought by cyclone Vardah, most of the bitumen topping on the street wore off and it started resembling a sandy pathway.
The stretch is a key route for MTC’s small bus (S47; Avadi railway station to Mittanamalli near Pattabiram).
It is reported that ambulance drivers hesitate to enter the stretch due to its condition. School buses and vans too halt far away from the stretch, and this has led many parents to start dropping their children on their own.
“As an temporary measure, the stretch will be levelled with blue metal soon. Later, it will be relaid with bitumen,” says an official of Avadi Municipality.
