'She would be alive if potholes were closed', says Chennai man who lost wife in road accident

Mother of two children, 34-year-old Devi R died that day after a container lorry mowed her down on the Poonamalle Highway after her husband tried to avoid a pothole. 
Ramadoss and his wife Devi| Special Arrangement
Ramadoss and his wife Devi| Special Arrangement

CHENNAI: While bad roads are just another civic issue for most of us, it's not the same for those who have lost their loved ones to official apathy. J Ramadoss also did not think that the stretch of Poonamallee High Road near Nazarathpet, which is riddled with potholes, would change his fate forever.

On October 26, Ramadoss was on his way to Cheyyar village on his scooter, with his wife Devi (34), to attend a family function. To avoid a deep crater on the road, Ramadoss swerved his scooter, and the couple came in front of a lorry. Devi came under the wheels of the lorry and died on the spot.

(Badly damaged road at Velappanchavadi along Poonamallee high road, close to the acciden spot. Photo-Martin Louis)
(Badly damaged road at Velappanchavadi along Poonamallee high road, close to the acciden spot. Photo-Martin Louis)

"Everything happened in a few seconds," said Ramadoss , while recounting the incident. "The pothole was big and deep. I wanted to avoid falling into it. But I did not expect the lorry to come so close to us. It hit the scooter from the rear and she was thrown on the road. Before I could react, the lorry ran over her," said Ramadoss, holding back tears.

Though the spot where the accident happened was quickly patched up the very next day, but many stretches on Poonamallee High Road near Vanagaram, Koyambedu, and Nerkundram are in deplorable conditions. Due to heavy dust pollution, motorists can hardly see the road. And this results in deadly accidents as the road is filled with large craters and loose gravel. Though it is one among the most widely used National Highways in the city, the lack of maintenance by officials of the National Highways Authority India.

(Vehiculors struggle to ply on the badly damaged dusty Koyambed vegetable market road. Photo- P Jawahar)
(Vehiculors struggle to ply on the badly damaged dusty Koyambed vegetable market road. Photo- P Jawahar)
(Gravel filled Nerkundram Main Road poses great risk to motorists. Photo- P Jawahar)
(Gravel filled Nerkundram Main Road poses great risk to motorists. Photo- P Jawahar)

Now, Ramadoss is alone with his two children -- a son and a daughter in their teen. "Every day I pass through the spot where she died. The children are not able to stay in the house which is filled with memories of their mother. We need a change of space to forget this accident. Once my daughter writes her board exams, we will vacate this place," said Ramadoss who works as a bus conductor in TNSTC's Kancheepuram division.

The family was living in the Chennerikuppam house at Kumananchavadi since 2002. But after this tragedy struck the family, they are planning to move to Ramadoss's native home in Cheyyar village for good.

Exactly two weeks before Devi died, her family had celebrated her 34th birthday. She used to work as a cook in a nearby house and contributed Rs 15,000 towards house expenses, said, family members. "She was a big support to me and my children. We are struggling to forget the incident. Police have registered the case as a road accident and blamed the lorry driver. But if the road was in a better condition, this wouldn't have happened," said Ramadoss. The family hasn't received any financial aid from the government either.

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