Chennai Citizen Connect: Rains expose poor condition of Ekkatuthangal street

CHENNAI: The sudden downpour in the city has exposed poor conditions at Dhanakotti Raja Street in Ekkatuthangal, which poses a threat to motorists, commuters and residents using the interior road.

They have urged civic authorities to re-lay the roads and ensure that the re-laid stretch lasts for a long time, unlike previous works.

"The civic body re-lays a damaged road in the area, but only one portion remains good and the other stretch continues to witness damages. Potholes recur despite patchwork and the re-laying work. During the monsoon season, the beginning stretch of the street does not have water stagnation, and the roads remain good for a long time. However, we are clueless about the other stretch as it gets damaged easily," said T Naveen, a resident of Dhanakotti Raja Street.

At times, the interior road has been used by heavy vehicles, which is the reason the road was damaged within a short period after re-laying. It is difficult for two-wheelers and those who walk on this road, as they are forced to walk on the road, which becomes slushy due to waterlogging.

"Though there is a stormwater drain constructed in the area, we witness waterlogging and it takes more than two to three days for the water to drain. The elected ward member and officials concerned are lethargic and not bothered to inspect or take action against the issue. Many accidents have occurred due to the pothole, especially during the intense rainy days," said Perumal, a shopkeeper in the locality.

When contacted, a senior official at Greater Chennai Corporation’s Alandur Zone said that they were waiting for the monsoon to end and that the re-laying or patchwork would be carried out as soon as possible.