Ahead of the monsoon, the Highways Department has taken up work to restore several roads that were dug up for laying sewer or water pipelines in and around the city.
A total of 1,300 metres of Tiruvalluvar Salai in Ramapuram had been relaid. The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) had laid a drain for a length of 1,944 metres on this road. Settu, an autorickshaw driver of Porur, said that the road had been in a very bad shape in places where pipelines were laid and that he was happy that it was being restored.
“Wherever roads have been handed over to the department, we have taken up repair work. Since we had received complaints from the public about poor riding quality in some stretches, we had requested the CMWSSB to finish as soon as possible. We had told contractors to keep material, equipment and men ready so that there won’t be any delay in the restoration,” said a source in the Highways.
Among the other roads that are being re-laid are Manapakkam-Kolapakkam Salai where 350m of the 2,100m length has been restored so far; Sriperumbudur–Mugalivakkam Salai; and Mount Poonamallee Salai-Mugalivakkam Salai.
Minister E. V. Velu, who recently reviewed the work, said that these were crucial links used by lakhs of motorists and pedestrians and the engineers must expedite the work.
