TIRUCHY: With the city receiving rainfall at night for the past few days, senior corporation officials are closely monitoring the situation and are taking steps to ensure a safe monsoon in the city. In Srirangam zone, the corporation assigned revenue assistants on night duty for the control room in every ward to monitor any report on flood.
Inspections are on to assess the safety of buildings in the city. "We have not faced waterlogging in any area following the recent rain. Our team is closely monitoring water levels in the Cauvery and Uyyakondan canal," a senior official said. But what is worrying residents is the condition of roads in the city. The rainfall received over the past few days has made several roads slippery and slushy.
In many areas like Thennur, traffic is moving at a snail's pace. "It has become very difficult to ride on the badly-damaged Thennur Road following the rains. In many areas, damaged roads are leading to traffic congestion. We are already struggling to cope with the increasing fuel price, and the current situation is costing us more fuel. The corporation has to quickly repair the damaged roads and blacktop them before the monsoon," A Anand, a motorist on Thennur Road, said.
Though Mayor Anbalagan had announced that the corporation team would try its best to finish the blacktopping works on thoroughfares like EVR Road, Thennur Road and others at the earliest, the recent rains have raised doubts over the completion. At present, the civic body has finished blacktopping a small portion of EVR Road and one side of WB Road.
"Since they have completed the blacktopping works of one side of WB Road, vehicles are moving smoothly. Similarly, blacktopping work on EVR Road portion in front of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital has also brought some relief for motorists. Since we are receiving rainfall for the past few days at night, the corporation should give priority for finishing the blacktopping work on main roads.
In other areas, the officials have to consider levelling works," said KP Amirtharaj, a resident of Woraiyur. But if the city receives more rain in the coming days, the corporation will have a tough time finishing the works on the remaining roads. Meanwhile, senior officials said they are considering the issues. "We are trying our best to finish blacktopping of main roads at the earliest. All complaints about interior roads are also treated with importance," an official said.