Where roads are nightmare to motorists

By Saptarshi Bhattacharya

CHENNAI, OCT. 5.

The city goes to polls on October 16 to elect its new local body, but the residents of Gill Nagar Extension near Choolaimedu are a dejected lot as they find themselves in the blind spot of civic development.

The interior roads in Choolaimedu and its adjoining colonies are a nightmare to motorists and pedestrians alike, infested as they are by potholes, slush or bumpy surface. If speedbreakers appearing on roads without a warning test a motorist's alertness, the rugged and pothole-filled course test his driving skills. Though rain is welcome at this juncture when the city is facing acute water crisis, the residents are wary at the sight of clouds.

Gandhi Road, Sivananda Salai and Kamaraj Nagar Fourth Street, to name a few, are bearing the brunt of Metrowater's sewerage-line laying project. For about four months now, the residents complained, the roads have been literally inaccessible. The dug- up stretches were filled up with mud, but rain has rendered the roads slushy and unusable.

The worst affected have been school-going children who have to wade through the slush. Also, danger in the form of open storm water drains as a result of the digging work, trap them at the corner of Kamaraj Nagar Fourth Street and Gandhi Road.

The condition of the roads has prevented access of water tankers to the residential areas. On many occasions, the water tankers got bogged down on the road giving both the residents and the drivers tough times.

"I am able to bring my car home with great difficulty. So, I keep one of my vehicles away from the locality. My daughter also parks her two-wheeler elsewhere and comes home on foot," said Mr. C.C.Johnny, a software exporter who lives on Gandhi Road.

Residents of Mahalakshmi Enclave too complained that they have only received empty assurances from the authorities. A representation was also made to the Metrowater by the Flat Owners' Association following which, a temporary arrangement of laying red soil to cover the slush was made. However, the rain on Thursday made the stretch as bad as or worse than before, said Mr. M.Srinivasan, a resident.

``The rain has aggravated the situation. I had to take a detour to come out,'' said Mr. Rajan, another resident. Gandhi Road linked Choolaimedu area with MMDA colony.

The area falls under the Corporation Division No. 74. The councillor for the division was Mr. K.M. Ayyanathan of the DMK who was also Chairman of the Standing Committee on Town Planning.

Last year, the budget allocation for development of interior roads was Rs. 65 crores. The officials said that roads were taken up on a priority basis and most of the works were completed. This year too, Rs. 53.5 crores have been allotted under the capital head. Whether the roads in Choolaimedu area become a priority this year remains to be seen, said the residents.

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Section  : Southern States
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