Chennai: Rain-battered roads across Chennai are set for renovation, with Rs 130.19 crore allocated to repair 678 roads amid mounting complaints from motorists over potholes, damaged surfaces and waterlogging that makes daily travel hazardous.
Tenders have been invited to improve roads covering 148.10 kilometres across the Greater Chennai Corporation’s 15 zones under the Chief Minister’s Urban Development Scheme. Renovation work will begin once the tender process is completed and contracts are finalised, according to the announcement.
The proposed works come as continuing rain has exposed the extent of damage to the city’s road network.
Corporation statistics indicate that potholes have developed at 8,110 locations, with repair work reportedly underway at 5,350 of them. For motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, the deterioration has made navigating several stretches difficult. Rainwater collecting on damaged roads conceals potholes, leaving road users unable to judge their depth or avoid them safely.
Residents have sought early repairs, pointing to the difficulties posed by uneven surfaces and water-filled depressions.
The demand for restoration has gained urgency during the rainy spell, when submerged potholes become harder to identify.
The corporation maintains more than 30,000 roads, including major thoroughfares, bus routes and neighbourhood streets. Damage across these different categories affects both traffic movement on busy corridors and access within residential areas.
The announced renovation programme covers 678 roads. Details provided about the proposed works include repairs to 595 bituminous roads and 58 cement roads. The overall package spans all 15 zones, extending the planned improvements across the city.
The allocation is intended to restore damaged stretches through a tender-based programme. However, the announcement links the commencement of renovation to the completion of procurement formalities and the award of contracts, without specifying a starting date.
Meanwhile, the corporation’s reported pothole repair work remains significant for commuters using affected roads during the rain. The figures indicate that repairs are underway at a substantial number of identified locations, although they do not establish how many have been completed.
With rainwater continuing to obscure damaged surfaces, residents’ immediate concern remains safe passage through affected stretches. The forthcoming road renovation programme will address a wider network of damaged roads, while the pace of ongoing pothole repairs will determine how quickly motorists experience relief from the difficulties described across the city during the current rainy spell.
(IANS)
