Cyclone Nivar and rains after that have left many stretches and subways in the city with bad patches and potholes. Water stagnation and vehicles driving over those spots had made the top coat wear off.
Even a stretch of Anna Salai near the Omandurar Estate, Jawaharlal Nehru Salai and a stretch of Poonamallee High Road near Vepery have developed bad patches. The Highways Department has been fixing these points, including those inside subways. The spots are being scrubbed and cleared of blue metal and dust and then repair is done.
“We are using different methods according to the location. If there is too much water stagnation and traffic is heavy, we opt for cement concrete since it would set quickly. We use wet mix macadam in places where potholes are deep or of a large size. If the pothole is small, we use bituminous hot mix.”
“The new pothole fixing machine has been put to good use this time of the year,” said an engineer.
G. Murugan, a Chromepet resident, said several roads had lost their top coat after the rain, making it difficult to drive on them. “Steps must be taken to ensure that rainwater from residential areas do not run into subways, which is the case with all the structures along G.S.T. Road. When there is water gushing into the subway, riding is difficult. Rainwater from residential areas continue to be let into subways even though the rain has stopped,” he said.
