Rainwater stagnates, causes hardship to road users

MADURAI

A large crater-like pothole greets road users at the intersection of Vaigai North Bank Road from Kuruvikaran Salai at Anna Nagar here.

Commuters, especially two-wheeler riders have a tough time negotiating with the bad road for a few meters until the tar road begins.

“With the heavy rain for the past two days, the slush has increased in the area which even led to a two-wheeler riders’ fall at night,” said a security guard of a car workshop on the road. The road is used by tri-cycle riders to heavy vehicles like water tanker drivers.

S. Noor, a seventh grade student who lives on the street, said that she fears travelling through the stretch during the rains as the auto-rickshaw she takes to school wobbles a lot owing to the uneven surface.

“Somehow that part of the road never seems to get a redemption from its pathetic state despite many complaints and petitions,” said A.A. Soundarapadian, a grocery shop owner of 45 years on the stretch. He said that for as long as he remembers, the stretch has remained the same.

A decade back, the Corporation authorities made arrangements for laying of road. Just before laying of tar, an influential person produced documents claiming it was his land and disrupted the process, said Mr Soundarapandian.

“This is the route which the procession of Lord Kallazhagar takes during the Chithirai festival. During that period alone, authorities fill the stretch with soil as temporary solutions for a smooth conduct of the procession,” he said.