Motorists and pedestrians are facing difficulties due to dug-up, pothole-filled roads in various parts of Madipakkam.
The roads have been dug up for reasons including the provision of drainage connections to households and construction of storm-water drains. Residents have urged officials to complete the work before the onset of the northeast monsoon.
“The roads have been in poor condition for the past few months,” said Yogesh of Ram Nagar. Motorists have been forced to take detours due to the ongoing work, and the lack of signage at worksites make them particularly dangerous for motorists at night time, he added.
“The roads have become non-motorable over the last year, and we are struggling with these muddy and bumpy roads,” said Aravind Kelvin of Kuberan Nagar. He said due to bad road conditions, cab drivers refuse to enter the streets, forcing even elderly people to walk a distance to reach their rides. He added that the roads in the entire area needed a total restoration.
Residents say the bumpy and muddy roads have become unsafe for pedestrians and motorists alike. They complained that crossing a 2-km stretch now takes 20 minutes and the situation worsens during peak hours. “The state of Kuberan Nagar Main Road has been a major concern for the past seven months,” said a resident of Kuberan Nagar, and added that the works undertaken by the agencies and the local body lacked coordination, which led to delays in their completion and restoration of roads.
V. Sivakrishnamurthy, Deputy Commissioner (Works), Greater Chennai Corporation, said the civic body’s work would be completed before September 15 and road restoration would begin soon. He added that tenders for patchwork on the roads would be issued on September 7, with the work to be completed before the onset of the northeast monsoon.
