CHENNAI: Heavy downpour on Friday created traffic bottlenecks in several arterial roads in the city as commuters took diversions to avoid potholes and waterlogging. MTC buses plying through Mandaveli and Luz Corner to reach Broadway, Central railway station in the north and Thiruvanmiyur, Perungudi in the south had to skip Luz bus stop.
The St Mary’s Road in RA Puram was damaged during the rains last week and the PWD had started to work on the pipelines when the rains returned. “Since morning, the St Mary’s Road was blocked and we had to get round Warren Road and Dr Ranga Salai to reach Mylapore. People who had to get down at Luz were dropped at Sivananda Salai. We had to go through several small lanes, which caused traffic blocks and led to delays,” said G Krishnakumar, a bus driver on route number 21G.Buses with route numbers 1, 1A, 21, 41D, 21G and similar routes had to take several diversions and enter small lanes.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) personnel have already started to pump out water from streets. “After the incessant rains last week, we identified the lanes and roads where water is stagnant. In order to avoid delay in pumping out water, we had kept motors in the same places after IMD warned about the upcoming rains,” said a senior TNFRS officer.
Huge diesel engines with pipes and tubes for over 500m can be seen along the TTK Road till Eldams Road signal. Water was being pumped out into the stormwater drains from low lying lanes.