It is back-breaking ride for motorists

Road infrastructure takes a severe beating during the monsoon in Tiruchi

The extensive damage of roads has caused nightmarish experience to motorists in the city.

Even some of the arterial roads that were relaid about three months ago faced the brunt of the torrential rain that lashed different parts of the district and the city. Interior roads that witness less traffic when compared to the main and arterial roads, too, could not escape from the damage.

According to sources, several complaints of severe damage to the road infrastructure from Srirangam, Ariyamangalam, Golden Rock and K. Abishekapuram zones have been made to Tiruchi Corporation. Almost all roads in low-lying areas, where water stagnation has been reported since Monday, have been battered badly, making them unmotorable.

Deep potholes have emerged at several spots on most of the roads in the city.

Srinivasa Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, Ammayapillai Nagar, Bankers’ Colony, M.M. Nagar, Shanmuga Nagar, Ramalinga Nagar, Bharathi Nagar on Vayalur Road were among the badly hit. Road users point out that the damage is not confined to one or two places. It is scattered in all 65 wards of the Corporation. Barring a few roads in Cantonment, several roads in residential colonies too were affected.

Small to big potholes and uneven surfaces have appeared on Madurai Road, GH Road, Thanjavur Road from the Gandhi Market, East Boulevard Road, roads in Varaganeri, Palakkarai, Edatheru, Woraiyur, Ariyamangalam, Kattur, Thiruverumbur and other locations.

The damage to the road infrastructure is stated in official circles as quite severe when compared to the rain during the last northeast monsoon. It has caused severe inconvenience to motorists mainly two-wheeler riders and car drivers.

Residents, who live in colonies where the second and third phases of underground drainage works are on, have been the worst hit as the water stagnation and torrential rain have made the roads unmotorable.

“Rides on city roads by two-wheelers are literally breaking the hip of motorists as they have to pass through the uneven and potholes-dotted roads. They give tough time to motorists,” says G. House Baig, a civic activist.

He cities the worst condition of the roads in Anbilar Nagar in Edamalaipattipudur.

While acknowledging the problems faced by residents in some parts of the city, Corporation Commissioner P.M.N. Mujibur Rahuman told The Hindu that the Corporation was committed to restoring all roads. The immediate priority was to make all roads motorable. The local administration had identified roads to a length of 70 km in the city that had been severely hit. The restoration works had already started.

More rain had been forecast during the current monsoon. While the Corporation would concentrate on making the roads motorable until the end of the season, Mr. Rahuman said steps would be taken to relay all damaged roads.

A plan had been evolved to develop roads to a length of 48 km at an estimate of ₹42 crore. All tender-related works were over. The works would commence immediately after the rainy season, Mr. Rahuman added.

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