The delay in completing the Storm Water Drainage (SWD) project in Third Avenue, Indira Nagar, Adyar, is causing untold hardship to general public.
M. Murthy, a flower vendor, says, “It is more than five months since the work on the drainage project has been started. People are finding it difficult to walk as the pavements have also been dug. The scenario is worst is at the junction of Third and Second Avenue. Traffic comes to a grinding halt here every now and then and half of the road space has been taken over by trenches dug for the drainage project.
“The worst affected are pedestrians and motorists. The Chennai Corporation should take steps to complete the project at the earliest in the interest of the public,” Ashok Sivakumar, a motorist said.
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Near the junction the entrance to 16th Cross Street was completely blocked. For nearly 100 m a huge trench was dug to lay the pipes. The residents were put to untold hardship as this is the condition for more than a month now. “Vehicles were unable to enter our road. We were forced to reach our residence only by entering the nearby narrow streets. We faced a lot of troubles during medical emergencies,” said Karpagam, a long-time resident of the street. “Suffering from a knee problem it was an arduous task to climb over the mounds of dug-up soil. The situation is beginning to improve only now, she added.”
“The contractors, who show enthusiasm in digging the roads are not showing the same enthusiasm in covering the road,” said another resident, S. Ambalavan.
“Despite our repeated pleas to authorities concerned, work is going on at a snail’s pace. The stagnant waters in the dug-up trenches have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. ,”R. Kannan, a resident of III Avenue said.
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“The implementation of SWD project by the Chennai Corporation is a welcome move. But, they should also try to relay dug up parts on the road to facilitate motorists and pedestrians, “ K. Subramani, an auto-driver, said. When contacted, S. Murugan, Chairman, Zone 13, Chennai Corporation, said steps would be taken to complete the drainage project at the earliest.