Driving through Third Main Road (under the Chennai Bypass) between Ambattur Telephone Exchange junction and Nolambur provides the motorists with two different experiences, one smooth and the other bumpy. For, only half of the stretch has been re-laid and the rest remains battered. Reason: Lack of bitumen.
A month ago, civic authorities took up the work of re-laying the stretch from Telephone Exchange. Workers ran out of bitumen and ended up re-laying only 1km of the stretch. The remaining 2km waits for bitumen. Senior officials at Ripon Building, the Greater Chennai Corporation’s headquarters, allot bitumen based on availability and requirement. Re-laying a 60ft road, between the aforementioned spots, requires at least six loads of tipper lorries. As a result, the entire Third Main Road could not be re-laid. Now, bitumen is supplied mainly by State-owned oil companies such as BPCL and IOC as against the earlier practice where Greater Chennai Corporation manufactured bitumen on its own. “Once we get the required quantity of bitumen, the remaining portion of the road will be re-laid,” says a Corporation official. Third Main Road provides easy access to many key localities in the neighbourhood. Motorists complain that the stretch was not re-laid for more than two years after a new stormwater drain was laid between Ambattur toll plaza and Nolambur. “The road was dug repeatedly for many repair works by various utility providers but only patch work was done. As a portion of the road is battered, it is risky for motorists, especially at night,” says K. Venkat, a motorist from Nolambur.
