The Chennai Corporation has the huge task of restoring interior roads in several parts of the southern suburbs that were brought under its jurisdiction. These roads are left in a bad state after the implementation of civic infrastructure projects.
Residents of Manapakkam, Madipakkam, Mugalivakkam, Pallikaranai and Jalladampet were happy after their localities were brought under the Chennai Corporation. They were hoping for civic amenities to improve in their localities. However, the roads have been cut and dug up for the laying of pipelines by Metrowater and the construction of the storm water drain. These two projects are being implemented simultaneously, leaving vehicle-users severely inconvenienced.
Dug up for underground drainage
The residents of Manapakkam and Mugalivakkam are in the lurch, with the interior roads having been dug up for installing water pipes and sewage lines and building the storm water drain. While the underground drainage and the storm water drain are important amenities, the residents regret the timing of these projects that has left the arterial roads unmotorable and the interior roads in a shambles.
The Metro Rail work is under way on the St. Thomas Mount-Poonamallee Road. Hence, the residents of some areas of Manapakkam and Mugalivakkam depend on the Manapakkam-Mugalivakkam Main Road, Madhanandapuram Road, Mariamman Koil Street, Sabari Nagar and Mettu Colony for reaching the arterial road. However, the digging up of these roads has caused severe inconvenience to those riding or driving to office and taking their children to school. D. Arun, a resident of Manapakkam, says the interior roads branching off the Manapakkam-Mugalivakkam Main Road are in a bad condition, including those at Lalithambal Nagar, Mariamman Koil Street and Mettu Colony. A portion of the Manapakkam-Mugalivakkam Main Road has been relaid. But the entire stretch, which links up the Mugalivakkam Main Road, has to be relaid for the motorists to have any relief.
Heavy vehicles get stuck
Govarthan, a Manapakkam resident, says Metrowater dug up the roads for the underground drainage network. But it is yet to relay several roads, including Valleeswaran Koil Street, Nehru Street, Balaraman Street, Natarajan Street, 40-Feet Road and Marvel River View County Road and the Manapakkam Main Road. He says the heavy vehicles now and then get stuck in the slushy roads, causing traffic jams. He wants the civic body to relay the roads.
The interior roads at Mugalivakkam have been dug up for the storm water drain, though such a drain is there on the one side of the roads.
Residents of Madipakkam and Pallikaranai also suffer because of the poor condition of the roads, which were dug up for the underground drainage at Ram Nagar South, Kuberan Nagar and Kuberan Nagar Extension.
The residents of Ram Nagar South and Kuberan Nagar, who grapple with flooding every year, are keeping their fingers crossed for this monsoon because roads are in a very bad condition. P. Ramakrishnan, secretary, Kuberan Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association, says Metrowater has completed the underground drainage work at Kuberan Nagar, and it should coordinate with the Chennai Corporation to speed up the relaying of the roads at the earliest because the residents going to the Velachery Main Road and the Medavakkam Main Road face severe hardships.
‘Relaying speeded up’
Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan says that since he assumed office, the relaying of roads has been speeded up, with bids finalised for 8,000 interior roads. The work will begin very soon in various parts of the suburbs which were added to the Corporation. As for the poor road condition at Madipakkam, he says 370 roads have been identified for restoration, and the relaying has started in 85 streets, including at Kauvery Rajapuram. “Our aim is to complete 200 roads before the onset of the monsoon. The local officials have been directed to relay the main access roads at Ram Nagar and Kuberan Nagar.”
The civic body has completed relaying of over 800 kilometres of roads at Manapakkam and Mugalivakkam where amenities were created. The relaying has started at Mettu Colony, by dumping concrete macadam, as well as on Mariamman Koil Street and Sabari Nagar Second Main Road.
Dr. Radhakrishnan says these areas, which were added to Chennai’s core parts, had poor infrastructure, and they had no underground drainage. These localities are at a low level, so they have to be provided with storm water drains, too, to prevent flooding. The civic body had planned to relay the roads at several localities of Manapakkam and Mugalivakkam on a war footing. However, the unseasonal rain this month has held up the plan.
The Commissioner says the contractors have brought in the road-paving machine, but the unseasonal rain is delaying the work at Manapakkam. Even if the roads are relaid, stagnant rainwater will damage them. The interior roads at Manapakkam and Mugalivakkam will be restored temporarily to avoid vehicles getting caught in the potholes and the slush.
