Citizen Connect: Rollercoaster ride for two-wheelers as roads in Kottivakkam await fresh coat for over 2 yrs

For more than two years now, several streets in Kottivakkam including the 4th Cross Street have remained in a bad shape with the topcoat scrapped off citing the underground pipeline work.

Though the roads in Kottivakkam, namely 4th Cross Street, Vivekananda Street, Kalathu Mettu Street and 6th Cross Street remain worn out and unfit to drive, the civic authorities have not taken any action to mend these roads.

“The road is at its worst for past two years and irks the motorists due to improper maintenance. It is a roller-coaster ride while riding bike on this ride and I often suffer from back pain due to the bad condition of the road,” said A Bhavani, a resident of the area.

The problem has been brought to the attention of the authorities, but the issue still persists. The issue has to be recognised by the officials and a new road should be constructed, she adds.

Residents complain that roads were dug up for laying sewage lines but after the completion of the work, the authorities did not relay the road. “While laying the pipelines, various parts of the road were dug and scrapped off that left the damaged.

The construction was completed more than two years ago, but relaying of the road has not been done even now,” says another resident, S Ganesh.

Residents claim that the other roads near Kottivakkam were laid last year and even though this segment of the road was re-laid last year the other half of the stretch has not been tarred.

“It is difficult for pedestrians to walk on such roads as there are puddles of water on these roads that have been formed because of the bad condition of the road for a long time,” said Monika G, a resident of Vivekananda Street.

The 4th Cross Street is used by more than 5,000 motorists on a daily basis in the area who are forced to ride through bumpy roads.

When contacted the local civic authorities of the Tiruvanmiyur zone, they said that the complaints will be considered and the issue will soon be discussed with the State Transport Authority.