more-in At all times during the day, traffic on Tiruvottiyur High Road moves at a snail’s pace, thanks to the potholes that dot the single-lane road. Ever since the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) work began on the 7-km stretch up to Wimco Nagar in Tiruvottiyur, the road has become a continuous stretch of potholes, patches and bumps making driving an unpleasant experience. And since the road is the lifeline of the thickly populated north Chennai settlement, residents are wondering if the entire exercise would be worth the trouble. Both sides of the stretch from the MM theatre to the toll gate running through Raja Kadai, Ajax and Wimco Nagar are in bad shape. The road beyond the bus terminus till the Ernavur bridge remains untouched by the work. “We have to factor in the time for crawling along the road when we go to school as children cannot go late. This means I have to wake up much earlier. And Tiruvottiyur High Road is lined with over six schools making it very difficult for students and staff alike. We are wondering why the road is not being re-laid,” S. Abhirami, a resident said, adding that there is no space for even emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire engines. While a major portion of the road is owned by the State Highways, sources in the department said that control of the road was now with the CMRL and they have sent a letter asking them to maintain the road. “Though we said we will continue to maintain the road even during Metro Rail work, they refused to allow us. Now we are flooded with complaints from the public about the road, but are unable to do anything about it,” an official source said. Residents like V. Rajkumar question if the Japan International Cooperation Agency that is funding the project is aware of the bad shape of the road. “Is there any clause that talks about maintenance of the road during the pendency of the project? The least that could have been done is to allow better traffic movement on roads connecting the Ennore Expressway and T.H. Road. But on Kaladipet Market Road, which is a connecting road, a hut sits in the middle of the road leading to traffic jam,” he pointed out. Residents plan to petition Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami as he holds the Highways portfolio urging him to ensure that the road is at least made motorable.

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