Tattered roads cause trouble to New Perungalathur residents

Perungalathur town panchayat, which consists of 15 wards with a total population of nearly 50,000, is turning out to be one of the fast-developing areas in the suburbs. However, the residents of David Nagar and Budhar Nagar are vexed that the local body officials have not kept their promise to repair the roads. Even after two years, the roads here are still in the same bad condition.

Now that the monsoon has begun, the roads have become almost unusable, especially for motorists, alleged the people here.

G Martin from the neighbourhood had bought a new bike about two months ago. “But with the road remaining in a very bad condition, I am not able to take my new bike outside my house for the last two months,” he alleged.

Many here complained that there were several cases where motorists skid and fell down on the road due to the potholes. Ramesh from Budhar Nagar said, “As the road condition is very bad, we are not able to book auto or taxi even in the case of emergency, as the drivers are unwilling to come to our neighbourhood.”

Local residents said they have approached the town panchayat several times to repair roads but the officials failed to even respond properly.

“Two years ago, the same town panchayat promised us to repair the roads in a few months. But the officials have not kept their promise. We are left to suffer every day,” claimed Ramesh.

With no councillors or elected local body, the residents said they don’t know whom to complain to other than the town panchayat officials.

When contacted, a senior official from Perungalathur town panchayat claimed that the preparation for repairing the roads were in progress. “They will soon be repaired,” the official said.