Citizen Connect:Damaged median on Sterling Rd puts motorists’ lives at risk

“The road is already narrower on the side of Loyola College, where the damaged portion of the stainless-steel pipes protrude towards the road. Chances of speeding vehicles, especially two-wheelers, hitting the damaged median is high, as it could not be seen while over-taking,” M Mohan, a two-wheeler raider, said. A shop owner near the spot said that the median was damaged a few days ago after a vehicle rammed it.

When DT Next visited the spot, the pipes were seen bent towards the road. Apart from the spot, the steel pipes were found damaged at several spots. “Sterling Road is one of the important roads in the city and needs proper attention,” Mohan added.

He pointed out that several pitfalls, which were dug by service departments, and uncompleted stormwater drains on the road is a hurdle for free flow of traffic. “There are a couple of huge pitfalls on the road and several tree branches almost touching the road. Officials should remove week and dangerous tree branches and fix the damaged portion of steel pipes on the median to make the road safer to ride again,” he said.

B Raman, a motorist who uses the road occasionally, was shocked to find the protruded portion of the steel pipes on Thursday. “Last time, when I used the road, the median was in good condition. As I did not know about the issue, I tried overtaking a car. That is when I realises the danger. I applied the sudden brake, or I would have fallen,” Raman said.

Raman urged the officials to attend the damage immediately and maintain the medians across the city properly. “Even medians on other roads, including Vepery High Road, in Periamet is also damaged,” he said.

When contacted, a Chennai Corporation official said that the civic body has taken up a project to repair damaged medians across the city. “We are planning new plants on the medians and attending repairs through the parks department,” theofficial added.

As there is no project to restore median that lacks plants, the official assured that the Sterling Road repair would be attended considering it as aspecial case.