CHENNAI: Motorists travelling towards Shanthi Colony and the adjoining areas in Anna Nagar are forced to travel in dangerous conditions as the roads have become bumpy due to the shoddy relaying work by civic body workmen.
In May 2019, the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) dug the roads to lay pipelines. However, following that, motorists had to slam the brakes as their vehicles jostled through trenches in the road. Bikers, particularly, are forced to twist the handles of their bikes to avoid the wheels from skidding against the gravel.
Following several complaints from the residents, the Corporation recently relaid a part of the road, which looks more like a patchwork than road relaying work and other roads are milled and left unattended, complain residents.
“Shanthi Colony has just turned more dangerous. We don’t realise there are potholes during the monsoon as they are filled with water. The road has cement patches which are on a higher level than the rest of the path. The road conditions have gone from bad to worse,” said Arun Raja, a resident of Anna Nagar.
Some of the streets with poor roads include Anna Nagar 5th Avenue, 4th Avenue, 6th Avenue, 14th Main Road, 12th Main Road H Block and the arterial Shanthi Colony.
“The roads have been broken for more than a year and after a lot of struggle, we got it relaid. The trenches in the interior areas are being filled with rubble instead of tar, making roads more lethal during monsoons. Motorists and cyclists skid on these roads due to the small pebbles,” said G Priyanka, a motorist. With the roads broken, motorists are driving on pedestrian pathways, leaving no space for pedestrians, add residents.
Responding to this, the officials of the Corporation said the relay work is not yet completed and that within a month, the road will be safe for motorists again.