As monsoon looms, bus routes in disarray

Delay in civic agencies completing their work has disrupted road development

With work on Perambur High Road not complete, water logging is expected to be worse than in 2014. Photo: V. Ganesan

A number of bus routes are not prepared for the northeast monsoon. Inordinate delay in commissioning civic utilities by other agencies has disrupted road development projects along bus routes in the city. 

Chennai Corporation had planned to complete the Rs.420-crore project along 194 key roads that carry heavy traffic, ahead of the onset of the monsoon. However, work on 24 stretches has not been completed yet. 

Delay in completion of such roads is expected to slow down traffic during the rains.     Commuters on roads such as Perambur High Road, Velachery Main Road, West Canal Bank Road, Adyar, Canal Bank Road, Ramapuram Main Road and Indira Nagar Third Avenue have already reported hardship because of the work.  Ahmed Sirajuddin, of Jamalia, said “Perambur High Road has been damaged following the work for the past few months. Residents are unable to take vehicles from interior roads to the streets. The carriageway width has reduced. They have to finish road formation before the onset of heavy rain. The proposed platform widening has also not been completed. Pedestrians are unable to walk after a spell of rain”

 Chennai Corporation is planning to carry out road cut restoration on such bus routes that had “lengthy road cuts by Metrowater and other agencies” to ease traffic congestion. The re-laying of roads may not be advisable during heavy showers, as it is likely to affect the quality of the pavement.    

Work on Kaliammankoil Street, Valluvar Kottam High Road, Sterling Road, CSIR Road, Besant Avenue, NSC Bose Road and Deputy Mayor Kabalamurty Road has also not been completed because of various projects for other civic utilities. 

According to Metrowater sources, the roads, where the work is still in progress, will be handed over to the Chennai Corporation by October 15 ahead of the monsoon. The water agency is taking up works to improve water and sewer network across the city.

After a long wait, the Chennai Corporation commenced work on relaying 194 bus routes in May. 

The relaying of the roads was originally proposed to be completed before summer, but problems in shifting utilities – power and water supply infrastructure — reportedly affected the progress of work.

The new bus routes will have better facilities for pedestrians, including wide pavements.