Northeast monsoon: Moderate rains in Chennai highlight cracks and potholes in roads

Key roads such as Arunachalam Street, CIT Nagar, and Cart Track Road in T. Nagar, as well as Ramachandra Street near Rangarajapuram Subway, are badly damaged

Heavy overnight rainfall has exposed the poor condition of many roads under the jurisdiction of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Damaged and uneven roads were reported even in prime areas such as T. Nagar, Velachery, Nungambakkam, and Villivakkam.

Ram, an autorickshaw driver from T. Nagar, expressed concerns over the uneven roads, highlighting the challenges faced when transporting schoolchildren, pregnant women, and the elderly. “While unavoidable construction work by departments like TNEB [Tamil Nadu Electricity Board] in Sidco Nagar, Villivakkam, and the CMRL [Chennai Metro Rail Limited] in T. Nagar contributes to road damage, the corporation must address issues with other roads, especially near the subways and interior areas,” he said.

Key roads such as Arunachalam Street, CIT Nagar, and Cart Track Road in T. Nagar, as well as Ramachandra Street near Rangarajapuram Subway, are badly damaged. Baliamman Koil Lane has also been flagged for being in poor condition.

In Villivakkam, interior lanes near the subway are in need of urgent repair. Streets such as Eswaran Koil Street and Rajaji Street have been reported to be in poor condition. Roads near Karaneshwaran Temple in Saidapet and Pillaiyar Kovil Street also require attention.

Meanwhile, complaints have surfaced from residents online and via social networking apps regarding road issues in Cenotaph 2nd Lane, Cooperative Colony in Alwarpet, Nethaji Road, and Third Cross Street in Ponniammanmedu.

Roads in MRC Nagar, Velachery, and MGR Nagar in Perungudi have also been flagged. Further, areas near the Jeeva Railway Station in Vyasarpadi, the Kodungaiyur dump yard entrance, and Blackers Road near DMS Bus Stop have been reported as hazardous for commuters. Sriram Nagar, Ram Nagar Extension, and Kuberan Nagar Extension in Madipakkam were also reported to have poor roads

Officials of the Chennai Corporation stated that a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey of bus routes to assess road conditions was underway. This uses topographic survey and light and radar technology to identify areas needing attention.

Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran acknowledged the issue and said that new road constructions will be halted for the next two months owing to the Northeast monsoon rains. “New road cuts have been blocked since September 30, and GCC will investigate the reasons for bad roads in specific areas and provide temporary solutions,” he said.

Published - October 14, 2024 05:48 pm IST