TIRUCHY: With depressions forming on the recently blacktopped Vayalur Road, questions are being raised regarding the quality of work taken up by the corporation. Blacktopping of the road was taken up two months ago after the corporation faced criticism for the slow-paced work on its underground drainage project, and areas that were dug up for the project were relaid.
Less than a month after it was completed, depressions have begun forming. "If they had ensured proper quality, the depressions would not have appeared. In some areas, the depressions have already caused damage. This is likely to get worse as stormwater would pool up at the depression. Since the road faced damage within a few weeks of blacktopping, I think the authorities failed to ensure work quality," said Suresh Kumar of Ganapathy Nagar.
Some of the contractors, requesting anonymity, said that rainfall would have affected the quality of the works.
"In my opinion, there was moderate rainfall when they blacktopped a portion of Vayalur Road near Uyyakondan bridge, and this would have affected the quality of the work. That's why most contractors who got the tender for the road work are avoiding it in the rainy season," a contractor said. The residents, however, regarded it as the failure of the administration.
"All these would not have happened if the corporation made an effort to speed up UGD works. Instead of doing it, the corporation gave more time to the contractor. Thus, they were unable to complete blacktopping roads before the monsoon. Even if they take it up now, we don't know how long the road would last in good condition, and Vayalur Road is an example of it," said N Shivasundaram of Kajamalai.
Meanwhile, senior corporation officials said that they will take necessary action on the issue. "That road is under state highways' control. However, we had paid for re-laying the road since it was damaged during UGD work. We will take up the matter with the state highways and measures will be taken to improve the condition of the damaged portions," said a senior corporation official.