3,500 roads will be patched up before monsoon: Greater Chennai Corporation

CHENNAI: Several damaged roads in Manapakkam will be among the 3,500 roads, including 1,380 dug up by Metrowater and 500 dug up by Tangedco, that will be repaired in the next two weeks, Greater Chennai Corporation has said. Officials said 25% of the work is completed, 50% of the remaining work is on and tenders will be called for the rest.

Usually, any department taking up projects on city roads pays a road-cut restoration cost to the corporation which uses the sum to relay the road after the work is done. In cases where work is on, the corporation uses its emergency funds to patch up roads and lay gravel to level the potholes to avoid accidents and traffic congestion.

About 10 lakh has been given to each of the 200 wards and the bus route road department is monitoring the patch-up work, superintendent engineer T Saravanabavanatham said.

At Puzhuthivakkam (zone 14), 6th Main Road connecting Nanganallur has been in bad shape for two years, said V Rama rao, a resident. "Similarly, MacMillan Colony road has not been relaid for six years. Two culverts are used are being used as speed breakers which is causing accidents. This is due to the delayed Metrowater underground sewerage project," he said.

Perungudi resident Sanjeev said Metrowater recently carried out a patchwork (first layer with concrete mix and later with tar). "It peeled off in a week. After an online complaint it was just filled with debris."

V Nagraj, a resident, said Metrowater is carrying out underground sewerage projects in eight locations including Manapakkam where roads at other locations too have been blcoked due to CMRL work causing many traffic bottlenecks. "Metrowater and the corporation have dug up roads but neither levelled the ground nor repaired them to the extent possible let alone relaying them. In fact, work on some stretches is still on and every rain spell has made the roads difficult to commute ... Chennai Metro Rail project work is being carried out on Mt Poonamallee Road causing its own share of traffic bottlenecks," he said.