TIRUCHY: Commuters in Shanmuga Nagar and parts of Vasan Valley in Nachikurichi panchayat of the district will be up for a bumpy ride due to the pothole-ridden roads.
While the expanse between the 10th street and the 28th street of Shanmuga Nagar is lined with mini bungalows and villas, most of it lacks gravel roads, said sources.
"Despite paying taxes regularly, the basic facility in our area is really poor. Riding a bike through these streets is quite dangerous, especially during the rains, as the street gets flooded, posing a higher risk," said R Radhakrishan, a resident of Shanmuga Nagar.
Meanwhile, sanitation workers in the panchayat say that they struggle to move the waste bin carts in the roads. "We have to carry the heavy waste bags and walk to the waste bin cart parked in the corner of the steet." When questioned, the panchayat administration said that it lacks fund to repair the roads.
"We do not have sufficient funds to lay gravel roads. The property tax collected once a year would amount to only a few lakhs of rupees and most of it is spent on maintenance. As per a rough estimate, it would take around Rs 2 crore to repair the roads of Shanmuga Nagar alone. For other parts it could even be double the amount," said Nachikurichi panchayat president from the DMK G Krishnaveni.
"For a panchayat with dense population but less revenue, we can't afford to spend a huge chunk of money just on roads. As the residents of the area are from a well-off background, they can contribute one-third of the total estimate for the project under the Namaku Naame Thittam scheme," the panchayat leader added.
"We have to find other means to raise funds for the roads. The amount allocated by the MP and MLA funds is only sufficient for smaller works. Even though initiatives are in place to bring Nachikurichi panchayat under Tiruchy city corporation, which will lead to more funds, it might take another two years," said Periaswamy, panchayat ward member from the AIADMK.