Chennai residents demand repairs to OMR-ECR link roads

Many of the roads running through Neelankarai and Palavakkam are badly damaged and in need of urgent repairs, residents say

Several roads connecting Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR) and East Coast Road (ECR) running through Neelankarai and Palavakkam are in a bad shape and need repairs and re-laying. Motorists are forced to take these roads — Pandian Salai, Periyar Salai and Kamaraj Salai — to avoid heavy traffic on OMR to reach their destinations.

M. Dhananjayan, a resident of Periyar Salai, said that these are internal roads and are dotted with residential apartments, individual houses and shops and attract a lot of traffic. “The roads are pothole-ridden, and if you don’t concentrate while riding, you will end up falling down due to the craters that are sudden and very deep. Repairs are not taken up on these roads. Some roads have not been laid after the Chennai Corporation took over these areas,” he said.

Residents said that proposals to widen and strengthen these roads to take more vehicles made several years ago, are yet to see the light of day. Both the Chennai Corporation and Highways Department had made announcements at different points of time regarding this.

“There was a plan to widen two existing roads and also lay one road connecting the Thoraipakkam Radial Road and ECR. Wider roads would take more traffic and help take the pressure off OMR since it does not have any connecting grid roads that can be taken by motorists. If you are stuck on OMR in traffic you cannot just take an alternate road since there are none,” said Mythili, another resident.

One proposal is on hold since residents have filed a case against the project. Motorists hope that until the widening happens, at least potholes will be repaired and roads re-laid to ease traffic congestion.

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