The closure of the Five Furlong Road, which links Velachery Main Road to the GST Road, is causing severe inconvenience to motorists and office-goers. The road was closed after a portion of it caved in during the construction of a company building during the heavy rain brought on by Cyclone Michaung on December 5. Two persons died in the accident. Since then, motorists have been finding it tough to reach Guindy, Nandambakkam, Porur, and Ashok Nagar, as they are forced to take a detour of more than two kilometres to reach the Kathipara Flyover. Furthermore, the Five Furlong Road was helping office-goers from Velachery, Taramani, and Pallikaranai to take the Metro Rail and suburban train services because the Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses, being operated through the road, provided the last-mile link to the other modes of public transport. Some of the buses proceeding from Velachery towards Koyambedu and Ambattur Industrial Estate are also forced to take a detour.
Thousands of motorists and office-goers request the Chennai Corporation and the Greater Chennai Traffic Police to remove the huge barricades and open the road for normal traffic.
S. Mohanram, Periyar Street, Taramani.
Corporation responds:
A senior official of the Chennai Corporation says the civic body is waiting for the building stability report to be submitted. After processing the report, the Fire and Rescue Services and the traffic police will issue a no-objection certificate for the road to be reopened.
A road in bad shape
The Station Border Road is an important link for commuters to go to the Chromepet railway station by avoiding the congested GST Road. The road is used by thousands of motorists daily. However, the poor condition of the road has been causing a severe inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians. As a college and a few schools are located on a stretch of the road, it is being used by students. Once a concrete road, it is filled with potholes and craters. The Tambaram Corporation should repave it to help motorists have a smooth ride.
R. Dinakaran, Zamin Pallavaram.
(Readers can write to this column at readersmailchennai @thehindu.co.in)
