Chennai Corporation to repair potholes at 532 locations ahead of northeast monsoon

The Corporation has asked the traffic police to permit heavy machinery and equipment that are required to carry out the repairs, without any restrictions

The Greater Chennai Corporation hopes to take advantage of the dry spell predicted from October 4 and repair the roads full of potholes before the onset of northeast monsoon. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

Starting October 1, the Greater Chennai Corporation will launch a drive torepair potholes and damaged patches of roads at 532 locations.

The civic body will relay bad roads at 253 places where the roads have been handed over by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage board after completion of the work on sewer and water main lines.

In a bid to complete the work ahead of the onset of the northeast monsoon, the Corporation has asked the traffic police to permit heavy vehicles and equipment, required to carry out repair work on damaged stretches, withoutany restrictions.

In the past fortnight, the Corporation planned to relay 600 roads but could complete the work only on 400 roads because of rain, accordingto officials.

Of the 3,200 roads identified for relaying under various schemes in 2022-23, 2,247 (70%) roads have been relaid.

The rest will be completed before the monsoon.

These works were awarded to the contractors during June and July. Another 9,847 roads have been identified for relaying in 2023-24.

These works were awarded in September and they will be completed before March 2024, the officials said.

Regarding restoration of roads which were damaged for various projects, 1,817 roads were handed over to the Corporation by the water board and 1,429 were relaid as on September 29.

Work along 388 roads is under way and will be completed in a week, said an official.

“We are closely monitoring the social media platforms and also positively using these inputs to strengthen our feedback system.

Last week, more than 56 road-related complaints were raised on social media and were addressed and feedback given to residents,”said an official.

“Intermittent rain is a major challenge for road restoration and maintenance. We are able to relay roads only when there is a dry spell. There is close coordination for facilitating vehicle movement at night. Greater Chennai Traffic Police and RTOs are cooperating and addressing issues then and there,” said an official.

A dry spell is expected after October 4. The Corporation is planning to repair potholes and relay roads during the dry spell ahead of the northeast monsoon that is expected set in by mid-October.