Overflowing sewage, potholes have become recurrent problems on West Marret Street

Nine months since traffic diverted on West Veli St, basic needs of bus route on West Marret St yet to be established. Potholes, haphazard parking, overflowing drainage major irritants. Sewage covers potholes, causing danger to pedestrians/motorists. Crater, garbage dumping cause traffic jam, sewage ankle-deep. Corporation urged to find permanent solution to spare road users.

It’s nine months since Madurai City Traffic police diverted vehicular traffic, including city buses, through West Marret Street, upon introducing one-way traffic on a portion of West Veli Street in front of Madurai railway junction.

However, the basic needs of a bus route are yet to be established on West Marret Street. Bus shelter for hundreds of passengers getting down near Town Hall Road to reach the railway station is yet to come up. The pothole-filled long stretch of West Marret Street is yet to be given a motorable surface for city traffic. Besides haphazard parking of vehicles, especially of the tourist vehicles and taxis, on the roadside and overflowing underground drainage are major irritants to road users.

“At least on three days a week, the manhole on West Marret Street near Town Hall Road junction overflows. When it does, the potholes pose danger to the pedestrians and the motorists as sewage covers the potholes,” said a resident, Murugan (45).

Even on Sunday, at least four persons tripped at the spot while crossing the road, he said. A huge crater, which is wider and deeper, remains the worst nightmare for any motorist. Local people have attempted to make it less dangerous by placing a boulder and few stones.

As cars and motorbikes slow down at this spot, it leads to traffic jam on the junction. “Many a time, the speeding bikes splash dirty water on the pedestrians making it an awkward situation,” said a city resident, P. Chandrasekar (70). He said that unmindful dumping of garbage by workers of local commercial establishments results in frequent choking of the underground drainage.

“Only after it overflows for at least a whole day will the corporation workers remove the blockage. But within the next couple of days, the sewage starts to overflow,” he rues.