Citizen Connect: Hasty and shoddy re-laying of 70ft road spells trouble for motorists in Perambur

After repeated requests from the local public, the blacktop on the busy Siva Elango Road (also known as 70 feet road) was re-laid overnight. However, according to the residents of Periyar Nagar and Jawahar Nagar, two important residential localities in Perambur, the hasty and ill-planned work has only made matters worse for the motorists.

The 70-feet-road is one of the most used stretches in Perambur, which bifurcates Periyar Nagar and Jawahar Nagar. 

Residents from these two areas have to use the road for their daily commute. The importance of the road went up even further after government introduced small buses along this road. The buses that go to Villivakkam takes this road. 

Besides being the important road in the neighbourhood, the stretch also has the Peravallur police station, and supermarkets, restaurants saloons, and other such facilities.

Due to the large number of vehicles that use it round the clock every day, the road was extensively damaged, making the ride difficult for motorists. 

Because of this, the local residents have been urging the officials to repair and maintain the stretch for long. Finally, paying heed to the repeated requests, the road was re-laid overnight, with a fresh coat of tar. However, the newly laid road has created more problems that it solved, alleged residents here.

According to residents here, the road was re-laid without proper planning.

Speaking to DT Next, Manjunathan, an advocate practising at the Madras High Court and a resident in the neighbourhood, said the road was re-laid in the death of the night, because of which the workers did not notice the underground sewer lines. 

“Only in the morning did they realise the mistake that the manhole lids cannot be opened as the new layer of tar was laid over them,” he said.

Then, to ensure that the manhole covers could be opened without any hindrance, the tar was removed from the lids. Now, added Manjunathan, the road is back to its old, tattered shape.

Another resident, Raghu from Periyar Nagar, said that only one half of the road was covered with tar after the relay. Because of this, motorists, especially those riding two-wheelers, are apprehensive while going on this stretch, worried that the vehicles might skid off the road, Raghu added.

But when contacted, a Corporation official said that he was not aware of the allegation of hasty and shoddy work.