Madurai rains expose ‘poor road’ reality

The torrential rains in Madurai city on Sunday and Monday have once again exposed the condition of poor roads on the city’s main thoroughfares and residential areas.  

Though the city corporation claimed to have repaired roads in key locations, water inundation was still observed in places like Palanganatham roundabout, racecourse road, K. Pudur, Surveyor Colony, K.K. Nagar, Anna Nagar, SS colony, among other areas.  

V.P. Manikandan, a social worker, said, in Palanganatham, near Subramaniapuram police station, the water logging near bus stops and shops made the areas completely inaccessible to the public.  

As the water logging engulfed the entire bus stop near the police station, the public waiting for the bus had to stand in the middle of the road to board bus, he added.  

Rain water logged at Jayam theatre bus stop at Palanganatham in Madurai on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
R. ASHOK

Despite being a newly laid road due to improper planning, the water that settles on the road, slides to the one side of road leading to heavy water logging, he noted.  

The same was observed in SS colony and in the roads connecting bypass road and the SS colony, he said.  

Noting that the waterlogging has increased compared to previous years, Mr. Manikandan pointed out the poor implementation of projects as the reason for such poor roads.  

“If the road surface is even and proper storm water drains have been provided, why would the water flow to one side. If the rainfall is minimal, the water inundation would gradually disappear. But, in situations like continuous rainfall, the condition would only turn worse,” he pointed out.  

Witnessing a bike accident in one of the water-filled-potholes opposite the Superintendent of Police office at Surveyor colony, a nearby shopkeeper, said, several potholes on the road caused a biker to lose balance and experience a fall.  

“He fortunately escaped from any major injuries, but the pillion rider, who did not expect the fall, suffered a major injury in her head and legs,” he added.  

During times of rainfall the potholes get filled with water, and commuters, who could not identify the hole in the water inundation, tend to drive their vehicle into it. While some manage to hold on to their bike, many eventually witness a bad fall, the shopkeeper said.  

“Instead of permanently fixing the road authorities, for the time being, fill the potholes with mud and sand. Within the next few hours, the holes started to reappear,” he added.  

Only through a permanent feasible solution, the issue could be resolved, he observed.  

A corporation official said once the rain completely stops they would take steps to clear the inundated water from the roads.

With the city hosting the world hockey junior in Race Course, the officials should give a facelift at least for the visitors and ensure freak accidents were avoided.