VELLORE: The deplorable condition of roads and a lack of an underground drainage (UGD) system in all the eight streets of Vasantham Nagar Extension in Sathuvachari Phase 3 have made the everyday lives of the people in the 500-odd households perilous.
Heavy rain exacerbates their woes, as domestic wastewater mixed with sewage flows like a river on the streets in the lowland area, impeding their daily activities and spreading water-borne diseases.
Some of the residents said, during heavy rain, it would take nearly five hours for the wastewater to drain and sometimes they enter the houses. K Parameshwari, a resident, said, “Due to the water stagnation, mosquitoes and snakes are common. Many a time, snakes have entered our houses. We also frequently contract diseases.”
P V Hariharan, a resident who has repeatedly flagged this issue to authorities concerned, said, “Even on normal days, two-wheeler riders encounter minor accidents. As the roads have huge potholes, autorickshaws and taxis do not enter the area.” Because of said issues, Hariharan had moved his octogenarian mother to Chennai, as she had to visit the hospital often and no autorickshaws take up rides from the area even during emergencies.
Quoting the same issues, Pushammal, another resident, had moved her daughter-in-law suffering from a cardiac ailment out of the area. "Besides, she was getting infections because of walking in the dirty water,” she added.
The residents alleged autorickshaw drivers, citing increased risk of vehicle damage, charge exorbitant fares, up to Rs 1,500 per ride to drop the children at nearby schools.
S Naveenkumar, another resident, said the situation worsened over the last three and a half years after the roads were dug up multiple times for different projects, including for the UGD work. He alleged the workers do not seal the dig sites properly once the work gets completed.
A bridge, constructed as a stopgap solution, has also worn out. When TNIE visited the area, autorickshaw drivers and domestic LPG cylinder delivery persons expressed the troubles caused by the poor road conditions. Also, residents said that domestic sewage from a 30-foot-wide canal was diverted to a six-foot-wide one in their area that is low-lying, causing more sewage downflow.
Acknowledging the issues, a corporation official attributed them to the lack of an UGD system in the area. “We are carrying out the UGD work in the area on every street and will relay roads soon after. Since the area is at the tail end, the work is getting delayed. We will complete it within two months,” he said. However, he did not elaborate on the poor condition of the roads.