Residents complain of delay in restoration of many city roads

Residents have complained about a delay in repairing potholes after the onset of the Northeast monsoon.

Anna Nagar resident Indumathi Balaraman said the residents have demanded that the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) repair potholes in Anna Nagar Sixth Avenue.

“Owing to heavy traffic movement on potholes, formation of fine aggregates on the road and a layer of dust in the neighbourhood has led to health issues. Our house is polluted. Conservancy workers rarely clean the damaged portion of the road. The condition of the road will worsen once it rains. We have requested the GCC to do patchwork before the rain,” she said.

Nanganallur resident S. Saravanan said many roads in the area have been damaged after the onset of the Northeast monsoon.

Ward 42 councillor M. Renuka said patchwork on five roads were delayed as contractors claimed that bringing wet mix from Gummidipoondi to the city was a challenge as they were not sure when it would rain. Previously, GCC used to carry out patch work on roads without any delay as the civic body maintained its own Central Asphalt Plant inside the city limits, in Chetpet, distributing wet mix macadam for pothole repair by Corporation’s own road workers. The civic body closed the plant a few years ago, and is wholly dependent on private contractors for patchwork of roads, said former Congress Councillor S. Mangala Raj.

“Roads such as Bazaar Road in Mylapore has been damaged. Many stretches in other parts of the city have been damaged after the rain,” he said.

Ward 84 councillor J. John said roads in Korattur such as Thirumullaivoyal Road, Vinayagar Koil Street, Patravakkam Brahmin Street, Korattur Brahmin Street, Tamil Street and Kanniyamman Koil Street have been damaged and residents have complained that restoration work has been delayed.

Ward 104 councillor T.V. Shemmozhi said the GCC officials have assured that they will restore damaged road surface before the rain next week.