Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Digging of newly-laid roads continues unchecked

Staff Reporter

‘Private telecom companies blatantly violating rules’

— Photo: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

Newly-laid Advaitha Ashramam Road in Salem was dug up indiscriminately by a private telecom company.

SALEM: The indiscriminate digging of newly laid roads for laying cables by the private telecom companies continues unchecked in several parts in the city, causing severe damage to the road infrastructure.

Though the Salem Corporation has issued warnings on several occasions, the companies continue to dig the roads, blatantly violating the rules. Recently a private telecom company cut the Advaitha Ashramam Road, which was re-laid just three months ago, and several roads in Hasthampatti area.

In many other cities, the companies are using modern technology to lay the cables without digging the roads. The civic officials here have grossly failed to insist the companies to utilise such technologies to save the road infrastructure in Salem city, citizens said.

The companies are not taking up the patchwork after cutting the roads. This leaves thousands of road users in difficulties. Several two-wheeler riders sustained injuries after landing on the road cuts. The Corporation should evolve an effective mechanism to monitor the telecom companies and prevent them from damaging road infrastructure, residents stressed.

The Corporation authorities, at a meeting held recently, said that they would not allow the private companies to dig the newly laid roads. But the companies continued to dig the roads.

It was happening at a time when the Corporation was trying to beautify the city. All these efforts will prove futile, if the Corporation keep turning a blind eye over the digging of roads, a senior citizen in Hasthampatti said.

The issue was raised by both DMK and AIADMK councillors at many Council meetings. The Corporation is spending crores of rupees to lay roads. But no concrete efforts have been made so far to prevent companies from digging roads, councillors said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

‘Know in detail about Special Component Plans’
Study soon for construction of foot overbridge
Digging of newly-laid roads continues unchecked
29 people injured

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu