Roads have become an eye sore in every nook and corner of Chennai. Pot holes, craters and gaping holes have made the travel of every motorist a nightmare. Residents have been running from pillar to post enquiring officials about when their roads would see the light of the day. The officials do give a positive response stating that they are making all attempts to lay plastic roads once the task of laying storm water drains are completed. Will they keep up the promise?
Sans black topping
“We are not sure whether they will keep up the promise. In fact we have lost hopes,” say the residents of Park Road. The one-and-half-km road which connects Chennai Thiruvallur High Road and Thirumangalam High Road is in a pathetic state. The surface has turned out to be an uneven one for a long time. What remains of the road is just protruding stones and layers of sand. Manoeuvring of vehicles has become a daunting task for motorists.
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Balasubramaniam who is a resident says, “Of late, the number of vehicles plying the road has increased. With no proper bitumen- surfaced road in place, people are put to unnecessary hassle and it is annoying.” Krishnaprasad, a resident, says “Adding to the nuisance is a garbage container kept opposite the school. Clearance is done during peak hours, making negotiation of vehicles difficult.”
Every time a vehicle passes on the road it raises a dust storm. As a result windowpanes, doors, gates, and cars and two-wheelers parked in sheds are always found dusty. Even articles and furniture indoors gather dust. In the night, beams of suspended dust particles are visible through the headlights of vehicles,” he adds. M. Karthikeyan, a paediatrician, says “Many students from The Schram Academy, a private school which is on the road, come to me with sneezing and wheezing problems.”
The doctor cites the dust-ridden road as a major triggering factor. “Besides, frequent accidents occur on this road, especially during rainy days. Last year alone there were five head injury cases,” he adds. Sharmila who is employed in a firm in the locality, finds walking on the road as a trying experience. Resident Vasantha complains that there are frequent incidents of chain snatching near the Shiva Vishnu Temple and she attributes it to poor illumination of the road. According to her, most of the street lamps are non-functional.
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Beacon of hope
But there seems to be a ray of hope for those residing on Park Road.
It seems that the road will soon be improved. K.S. Palaniswami, President, Anna Nagar Western Extension Association, says “The civic body has covered the road under grid system.” He said that funds have been allocated and work will begin soon.
P. Vadivel, secretary of the association, says, “The features of the grid road are proper passage to drain rain water on either side of the road into storm water drain, walkway for pedestrians, benches, conduits to carry cable lines, and proper lighting at 25-feet intervals on both sides.”