The long wait by residents of Sathya Nagar and Vel Murugan Nagar for better roads continues as the government failed to carry out repair works even after repeated requests to improve the quality.
For a long time, residents living in these two areas in Nellithope constituency have been demanding re-laying of interior roads.
The roads in the area, besides being used by hundreds of people residing in the area, are regularly frequented by commuters as Sathya Nagar connects Kamaraj Salai and the junction near Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children’s Hospital.
Students of a private school near the hospital take the route as a shortcut. “The interior roads in Sathya Nagar and Vel Murugan Nagar have not been re-laid for a decade. These are not roads regularly used by residents alone. Hundreds of people use the stretch for daily commuting. Commuting has become a difficult task due to its poor condition,” said a staff of the hospital. According to Ganesh, a resident of Sathya Nagar, the residents have been demanding re-laying of the roads.
“After a recent rain, the condition of the roads has worsened. Our bikes get punctured frequently and also stones damage the cars. Pothole-ridden roads not only cause inconvenience to motorists but also add to their financial burden. People have to spend more on maintenance as vehicles suffer dents while driving on potholed roads,” he added.
Loans for roadwork
According to a senior official, the government had started re-laying all main arterial roads by obtaining a loan of ₹129 crore from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Housing and Urban Development Corporation and the Small Industries Development Bank of India.
The government has approached the banks for more loans to take up road works in the town, he said.
“The government intends to complete all the repair works by April-May. The next year Budget will also have adequate allocation to improve road infrastructure,” he added.
