The Times of India 13.11.2009
68 roads in city badly damaged after rain, reveals corp assessment
Julie Mariappan, TNN 13 November 2009, 08:03am IST
CHENNAI: Intermittent rains in the past few days, with spells of heavy showers, have left the city's roads battered and bruised. A primary assessment conducted by the Chennai Corporation reveals that an area covering a length of 12 km and 68 bus-route roads needs immediate attention, to facilitate free flow of vehicles.
The corporation manages 382 bus-route roads covering a length of 306 km. "Thursday onwards, we are using hot asphalt mix from the corporation's central asphalt plant for filling up huge craters. We hope to complete the work by the weekend," corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni told TOI. The agency is bearing the brunt of damage caused by road-cutting works undertaken by other utility services recently.
For instance, works undertaken by Metrowater in Virugambakkam, SIDCO Nagar and Chintadripet have wreaked havoc on the roads there. The ones in the city that need immediate repair include Tondiarpet High Road, Tiruvottiyur High Road, Perambur High Road, Murthinagar Street, Konnur High Road, Anna Nagar Second Avenue, Kaliamman Koil Street, North Usman Road, Arcot Road, Habibullah Road, Greenways Road and Sterling Road.
It appears that about 5,000 sq m of roads in various parts of Chennai, which are slightly damaged, will be set right immediately. "The full-fledged road laying works, after thorough milling, will take place December 15 onwards. If the roads are relaid with an additional coat of asphalt, adjoining buildings will go down further. Thus, we have planned to take up milling work first," says a senior official.
Tenders for Rs 1.4 cr worth milling/relaying works were partially settled by the zonal offices recently. "This will help us start the work at once," the official added. The helpline (1913) set up by the corporation to receive civic complaints has been receiving several calls from motorists regarding the bad condition of roads, blacktopped surface getting worn out, and potholes.
R Umapathy, a resident of Jamalia, Perambur, said that sewage was overflowing from manholes on Perambur High Road, a major reason for craters on the arterial stretch. "Our best efforts to convince Metrowater and the corporation to set right the issue have ended in vain," he added.
Additional commissioner of police (traffic) Mohammed Shakeel Akhther told TOI that he had asked the corporation to repair 12 arterial roads identified by his department on a priority basis. "We have sent the list of roads to the corporation," he said.
