CHENNAI: The first spell of Northeast monsoon damaged about 1,250-km of national highway roads across the State, according to official sources of the National Highways department. The estimation done by officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways Department of the State including two-lane, four-lane and six-lane roads, of which more than 50 per cent now have huge pits and potholes. In addition, disorientation of path, complete erosion of top layer and damage to the service roads have also caused hindrance to vehicles along the national highways.
The total length of the NH roads passing through the State is 5,004 km, of which 1,998 km roads are maintained by the National Highways department of the State government, while the remaining 3,006 km roads are maintained by the NHAI. Both departments were funded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The damaged roads include busy six-lane roads such as Chennai-Kolkota; Chennai-Tiruchy-Madurai; Chennai-Bengaluru; Madurai-Kanniyakumari; and Salem-Coimbatore highways. These roads were battered in the recent rains, causing lot of hardship to motorists. The pits and potholes along the roads have also increased both fatal and non-fatal accidents on the Chennai-Tiruchy and Chennai-Bengaluru highways.
In this connection, neighbhouring district police authorities have written to the NHAI to expedite the road repair works citing the increasing road traffic and accidents. Officials said apart from the roads that are undergoing expansion works, necessary repair would be carried out along all damaged roads. “A proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through the NHAI,” added official sources.
5,004 km total length of National Highways in Tamil Nadu
1,998 km roads maintained by NH State government department
3,006 km roads maintained by the National Highways Authority of India