Metro Rail works make commuting a nightmare on Mandaveli South Mada Street

CHENNAI: People living in Mandaveli South Mada Street and commuters crossing the stretch face a double-whammy because of the ongoing Metro Phase II construction works. On the one hand, the barricaded stretches have turned roads narrow, making it risky to cross the stretch.

On the other, as there is no clear deadline visible for the end of construction works, the public is worried about waterlogging during the monsoon, apart from inundation during rains. Residents speaking to DT Next lament hardships going through damaged roads, suffering traffic diversions and spending more time crossing congested roads.

People particularly note that the route to the bus depot is worse. The path allotted for pedestrians and two-wheelers is damaged. The spot is also extremely narrow, they say.

“Travelling has become extremely difficult and risky in the area. The blue barricades have covered a huge area and during rains, there is no space for the water to drain,” said a resident.”The area was one of the worst affected in the December 2023 floods. Now Metro works leave little to no space for people to navigate. We had to wade through the waterlogged roads having potholes. We urge CMRL to fix these concerns before the monsoon,” said P Sudhakar, a seller in Mandaveli.

Sudhakar added that the Storm Water Drain (SWD), the key infrastructure to handle flooding issues, is located on the other side after the barricades.

Commenting on this, a CMRL official said, “In Mandaveli, we have begun doing the patchworks already. The platform is being raised so that even during rain, the public can avoid walking on sludge. We have reached MTC for an additional two-feet area to make the road space wider.”