As city sees a let-up in heavy rain, Highways Dept. begins restoration of battered roads

Intermittent rain made the Provincial Directorate of Highways, Highways Branch Directorate, nervous. Teams of engineers and contractors have been working late into the night to repair badly worn areas, causing traffic to move at a snail’s pace.

Subbulakshmi, who commutes via Anna Salai every day, said that the part of Anna Salai near SIET College bus stand was broken even though it was repaired recently. The part near the Thevar statue is full of dust and blue metal gravel, making it unsafe for two-wheeler riders.

Sandeep, a resident of Pallavaram, said that the patch work carried out on the down ramp of Pallavaram grade separator has helped motorists, while the work done near Dargah Road metro can be improved.

Roads including Anna Salai near Teynampet, Pallavaram-Thiruneermalai Road, Irumbuliyur and GST Road near Chromepet, Iyyappanthangal on Mount Poonamallee Road, Poonamallee-Kundrathur-Pallavaram Road and Kattupakkam have been repaired.

A few worn-out sections in the Rajiv Gandhi Salai were also repaired. “There are potholes in some stretches, especially near SRP Tools junction and Sholinganallur junction. There is no escape from them as a deviation will only land you in another pothole,” said R. Narayanan, a regular commuter.

“Our aim is to provide a smooth driving surface for motorists. The ministry warns motorists not to drive fast on newly repaved roads. Although we divert traffic at night for repairs, the bitumen must be given the opportunity to harden properly,” an official source said.

When asked why potholes appear on the roads, the official said that the binding capacity of bitumen decreases every year due to the oxidation process.

He added that patches form from the third year onwards, so the roads are repaved every five years.