Citizen Connect: Pit dug up for underground sewage canal creates bottleneck on Nallathambi Street

The junction where Nallathambi Street and Pozhichalur Main Road meets is a nightmare for motorists. The ongoing underground sewage canal work here was not only delayed but the pit dug up for it possess danger to everyone in the area.

Motorists coming from Pozhichalur area find it difficult to take a turn at the beginning of Nallathambi Street as the open pit is extended till the middle of the road. “It is dangerous and many two-wheeler riders have met with accidents after nightfall as there is neither warning board nor proper fencing here,” K Suresh Kumar, who lives on Nallathambi Street, said.

He added that half of the road is blocked by the ongoing work. “The road is a bottleneck every day, especially during peak hours, and there is no police posted here to regulate the traffic,” he added.

According to Suresh, officials refuse to pay heed to any complaints saying that the underground sewage id being built for the benefit of the public. “We are not asking the officials to stall the project. At least they should take some steps to help the citizens who are affected by the construction,” S Rama Kumar, an IT employee who uses Nallathambi street to reach office, said.

Rama Kumar said that even the board with the street’s name is damaged and no one has taken steps to install a new one.

A senior official from the Pammal Municipality, under which comes the ongoing project, said that a few labourers did not turn up for the work in the past week. “In addition, funds are not being released periodically and it is very difficult to manage the workers and their daily wages,” he added.

The official said that the project, which should have been completed by now, was extended for four more months due to the lack of funds. “The problem will be solved in few days,” he said.

Pammal Vendor’s Association Secretary K Parthiban said that the problem is not only on Nallathambi Street. “We are facing similar issues on the whole three-kilometre stretch on Pozhichalur Main Road. The business of small vendors has been severely affected since the digging began in front of their shops,” he added.

He also said that several shops were closed due to the project.