The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : New roads in two months

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

New roads in two months

Karthik Subramanian

Chennai Corporation to re-lay, repair over 300 km

in NEED OF REPAIR: Roads such as this -- Marshalls Road in Egmore -- are in bad shape. Civic officials say repair works will be taken up immediately. Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation will soon start repair works on 43 km of roads, used by city transport buses, working against a 45-day deadline ahead of the expected Assembly election notification.

Officials at the Ripon Buildings have drawn a `top priority' list of both arterial and interior roads. Tenders have already been floated for the works in the last couple of weeks, including 82 arterial roads. The civic agency has also identified 289 km of interior roads, which is also likely to be taken up in the next few weeks.

Several roads were damaged during the heavy downpours in the North East monsoon season this year. Potholes surfaced on several arterial roads, especially the ones with heavy vehicle movement, adding to the traffic chaos. Velacheri, Taramani, Pulianthope, Anna Nagar and T. Nagar were among most affected.

All the roads used by city buses will be re-laid using mechanical pavers while those with potholes will be repaired using bitumen mix. Some of the main roads that were dug up for laying pipelines under the Chennai City River Conservation Project will also be taken up, including R.K. Mutt Road in Mylapore and Marshalls Road in Egmore. Other important roads that will be taken up include Triplicane High Road, Gandhi-Irwin Road, Dr. Besant Road, Velacheri Main Road, Kodambakkam High Road, K.K. Nagar Main Road, Sterling Road, Nelson-Manickam Road, New Avadi Road and a portion of G.N. Chetty Road.

Sources said that with asphalt prices on the rise, the repair works are likely to cost the civic agency much more unless executed immediately.

The Corporation has written to the State Government demanding increased rain relief funds.

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