OMJASVIN M D By Express News Service CHENNAI: Motorists experience a back-breaking journey while traveling along several roads in North Chennai, more so, after the recent rains. Main connecting roads in areas such as Vepery, Pulianthope, Elephant Gate and Otteri have became battered, increasing the risk of accidents. The Powder Mill Road, Elephant Gate Road, Pulianthope High Road, Basin Bridge Road are some of the stretches filled with massive potholes and bumps. These roads connect rest of the city to Perambur, Vyasarpadi, Mint, Old Washermenpet, Korukkupet and Tondiarpet. As the Elephant Gate road, especially outside the Metro Water Station of Zone 5, is full of potholes, a number of water tankers waste water in abundance due to the bumps. This stretch has not been relaid or even patched up for more than a year now. For motorists, these roads are a nightmare. Since the Basin Bridge Road connecting the bridge lacks a median, motorists end up going on the wrong side sometimes to avoid bumps, putting themselves at the risk of meeting with accidents. Lakshmi Rani, a commuter, said the traffic has been more on this stretch only after the demolition of the Elephant Gate Bridge began. ‘‘This road was always in a bad condition. It is high time that the officials relay the roads as more vehicles are plying here due to recent diversions,’’ she said. Civic apathy is at its peak in this area, which belongs to Zone 5 (Royapuram) of the Chennai Corporation. Roads lack signal and medians. The recently constructed storm water drains on this road too are choked leading to sewage spilling onto Basin Bridge Road. Causing more danger, electric wires from the EB box run over the sewage, which also has now become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. According to the new traffic diversion plans following the demolition of Elephant Gate Bridge, vehicles heading to Demellows Road from Wall Tax Road is diverted through the Basin Bridge, which is also riddled with potholes and bumps. Meanwhile, it has been more than one month since the civic body finished constructing storm water drains along the Raja Muthiah Road, which connects Elephant Gate to Veppery. But, the battered road, where the Nehru Stadium is located, has still not been relaid or even patched up. Sharp stones and loose gravel are scattered across this stretch and despite SWD being in place, this stretch faced severe water stagnation as well. Ironically, all these roads are very close to the corporation zonal office and even officials ply through these bad roads daily. When contacted by Express, a corporation official said that funds were a major reason for delay in road relaying. ‘‘Currently, we are only relaying small streets, Once adequate funds are released, we will look into the larger roads,’’ said the official.

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