Due to continual movement of heavy vehicles, Maraimalai Road in Mogappair is now pockmarked with potholes. With northeast monsoon at the door, residents and motorists want the civic officials of Zone – 7 of Greater Chennai Corporation to relay the stretch immediately.
Maraimalai Road is a lifeline for residents as it connects Mogappair with important areas like Anna Nagar, Tirumangalam, Ambattur, Nolambur, Padi and Korattur. The road also links East Mogappair with West Mogappair. Maraimalai Road was a bitumen-topped stretch until the work for the new wide concrete stormwater drain began last year. The work has added to the potholes, and unused sand is seen dumped on the footpath. The tiled footpath has been damaged in many spots making it difficult for pedestrians to walk safely.
The work on the SWD project is important as it aimed at preventing flooding in the neighbourhood. During the 2015 floods, much of the discharge went into the Otteri Nullah. Although the widening of the drain work was completed in the second half of 2019, the stretch has not been relaid.“With more motorists hitting the stretch, following the easing of many lockdown restrictions, frequent accidents are reported from there for the past few weeks,” says V. Ramani, a long-time resident of Mogappair, adding that they have been requesting the civic officials to relay the stretch at the earliest.
Interestingly, estimates for relaying the stretch was drawn up by Zone - 7 offcials (Ambattur) many months ago but due to procedural delays, the work has not been sanctioned so far.
“Steps will be taken to relay the stretch soon,” says a Corporation official.
