Prolonged civic work causes inconvenience at Chintadripet

The dug-up road of Arunachalam Street at Chintadripet poses a serious threat to residents and commuters. The road has been dug up for the extension of the storm water drain.

The narrow street, which is one of the busiest stretches, connects Deputy Mayor Kabalamoorthy Salai to Egmore. It is lined with commercial shops, including a fish market, and houses. However, the ongoing roadwork for the extension of the storm water drain has left commuters, residents, and shop-owners grappling with severe disruptions.

The extension of the storm water drain is under way all over the city. It has caused various problems, including muddy and potholed roads. It has also disrupted sewage connections in various parts of the city.

Risky ride

An autorickshaw driver says that driving on this stretch has become very risky. Since Arunachalam Street is a major road connecting various parts of the city, the Chennai Corporation should expedite the work, he says.

The civic body has been completing the project in phases, and it has built temporary bridge ways for shops to have access to the road. However, many shops have lost access to the road. Further, the barricades placed for safety are weak and broken.

A resident of Arunachalam Street says, “The work has been going on for almost eight months and we are managing with the dug-up road.”

Unbearable at peak hours

Karthick (name changed), a resident of Vedhagiri Street, voices concern over the deteriorating condition of the roads, noting that even a shower worsens the situation. He points out that the road has a major market, and owing to the ongoing work, severe congestion occurs at peak hours.

“People visiting the market are severely affected by the poor parking facilities; they are forced to park their vehicles on the road,” says Arun, another resident of Arunachalam Street.

He says there are no pavements for pedestrians. He requests the government to build pavements for walkers once the work is completed.

Anbu, a mechanic of Arunachalam Street, says the condition of the road is very bad between Venkateshwara Hotel and the fish market. He points out that haphazard parking of bikes near the market worsens the congestion at peak hours. He also asks members of the public to cooperate with the civic body to complete the work.

An official of the Chennai Corporation says the government is planning to complete the work before the onset of the northeast monsoon.