Residents of Mel Ayanambakkam in Chennai call for a long-term fix to weak pothole-riddled road

Chennai: Residents of Mel Ayanambakkam, Thiruverkadu, say repeated sewage works and heavy-vehicle traffic have left roads in Etteeswaran Koil Street potholed and waterlogged, despite repeated requests to civic authorities for permanent repairs.Failure to re-lay the asphalt properly after frequent underground sewage work has worsened the situation. During the monsoon, rainwater stagnates on cracked stretches. "After even moderate showers, it becomes unsafe to step out," said S Bhagyalakshmi, a resident.Locals said there has been no significant improvement in road conditions over the past six years. Temporary patchwork repairs have failed to last, largely owing to the frequent heavy-vehicle traffic on the narrow stretches, said former area councillor D Ramadas. "During the monsoon, rainwater from nearby tanks flows into the area and weakens the roads further," he said, adding, "Officials are planning to lay new roads along the Etteeswaran Koil Street stretch near Vivekananda School." The lack of road widening has also led to severe traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours, and students attending schools along the road risk accidents daily. Thiruverkadu panchayat assistant engineer P Nalini said the underground sewage maintenance work is expected to be completed within a week and that the new road would be laid at the earliest.