For Tirumalai Nagar residents, using their road is adventure

CHENNAI: For residents of Tirumalai Nagar near Perungudi, it’s circus act to move in and out of their homes, as the roads are higher than their plots, the approach has been dug up, and the area gets waterlogged when it rains.
Metrowater is laying drainage pipelines in the neighbourhood, but a delay has left the approach ways unusable. With pits and trenches on a side and pipelines left on the other, road users are constantly in danger.Constant digging up and relaying of the road over in the past few years have raised the street level. In the absence of proper storm water drains, rainwater enters houses.
More than 500 families live in Tirumalai Nagar and its annexe where more houses are coming up. “The streets turn slushy and are waterlogged after a shower,” said Dr M K Srinivasan, who has been living with his family in the locality for 15 years. “It’s tough living here.”
John Samuel, another resident, said, “Whenever it rains, I disconnect the power supply and move to a relative’s place. Rainwater enters the electricity supply box, and I run the risk of being electrocuted.” V Nithiyanandan, another resident said the last time the road was re-laid, it went up by 12 inches. Many houses went below the road level. “We are unable to park our cars on our premises,” he said.
Metrowater project manager Raghuram said, “We will maintain the same level of the road as it was before by removing the excess soil. The work has been delayed because of the recent rain. We expect to complete the work by March. A senior corporation official said the road can be relaid only after Metrowater completes its work. “We are laying drains along the roadside. We will raise the sides of the road so water doesn’t enter the houses.”