Chennai Citizen Connect: Riding on OMR gets riskier as rainwater fills potholes

CHENNAI: With the onset of the northeast monsoon just days away, residents of OMR urged the Chennai Corporation to fix the potholes in and around the area to prevent water logging during rainy days.

The OMR was flooded last year due to heavy rains, and the corporation had failed to pump out the influx of water promptly. Denizens have urged the GCC to raise the level of the road and construct a stormwater drain (SWD) so excess water can be drained out when the city experiences heavy rainfall.

The civic body has yet to construct SWDs along the OMR to prevent water logging. Despite sending in multiple complaints to the concerned department and only a few days away from the onset of the monsoon in the city, no steps have been taken to rectify the issue, rued the residents.

Girinath, joint secretary of the Splendour Apartments Welfare Association, said the road repair work is urgent, considering the fast-approaching monsoon. He added that it is generally risky for residents and commuters to travel on the pothole-riddled road, and it is more dangerous now, given the potholes are filled with rainwater.

“Despite multiple complaints raised for swift action, the water logging issue caused by the gas pipeline work and the damaged pits remain unaddressed. This poses serious risks, and the impending rains could worsen the problem and potentially result in accidents,” Girinath explained.

Harsha Koda, co-founder of the Federation of OMR Residents Association, shared similar concerns and pointed out that the road digging and the closure of 50 service lanes are not isolated to OMR alone.

When contacted, a senior GCC official assured that patchwork would be carried out in the next few days and arrangements to pump out the stagnated rainwater during the northeast monsoon have been made.