No streetlights, potholed roads scare Tondiarpet residents

CHENNAI: Non-functional streetlights and potholes have made things worse for the public in Tondiarpet forcing them to demand better amenities.

Local residents complaint that it has become scary to step out of their homes during the evenings as there is no lighting in their area and there is a threat from anti-social elements due to poor lighting.

“Earlier, due to the metro rail work the road was not in good condition, we were forced to take longer routes. It has become an accident-prone zone, though they have removed the barricades, which were placed for over two years. The situation has turned even worse for us as the streetlights here have not been functioning for quite a long time,” said Ravindra Balan, a resident of Old Washermenpet.

After 6 pm, the stretch near Agasthiya Theatre is pitch dark, only the lights from the Metro station can help people to walk halfway. During the rainy season it is even worse that people may even fall because of the muddy road.

“The road is used by heavy vehicles too, sometimes the MTC buses ride faster, which is risky for the two-wheelers to travel especially without the streetlights. There is no space to walk, as the pavement is broken at some places. There is another route to reach Varadharaja Perumal Koil Street, we should take additional two kilometers to reach the street for safety sake,” said A Priya, a resident of Tondiarpet.

“Also, there are two Tasmac shops in that area and we are scared to step outside of our houses because of the tipplers in the dark. It is no longer a safe place for women and children to go outside at night. We urge the local authorities to replace the streetlights at the earliest,” she added.

When contacted, a senior official at Tondiarpet Zone office said that it will take at least 10 days to replace the lights. And they have submitted the proposal for re-laying the road, which is expected to start in the next two months.