Shoddy relaying of roads irks Chitlapakkam residents

CHENNAI: Chitlapakkam residents are cut up with civic officials for failing to ensure that roads in the locality are milled before relaying work is carried out. The height of the roads has increased as a result and many residents are finding it difficult to even open the gates of their houses.
Sunil Jayaram, a resident, said, “When roads are relaid, the contractors are supposed to scrape the old bitumen layer and lay a new one without increasing the road height.But, time and again, they don’t do a proper job of milling the road and the new road gains a few inches in height. We have made several representations to authorities, including the chief minister’s cell, but the problem keeps recurring.”
Another resident Ramiah Ariya, who has filed an RTI in this regard, said, “I inquired about the guidelines under which these roads are being relaid and was told that Indian Road Congress guidelines were being followed. But the sad part is there is no mention of the specifications required when the same road is relaid. A perfect example of this is Devanathan Street.” He added that the biggest challenge for homeowners is during the monsoon, when rainwater and sludge enter homes.
Residents said that the height of the roads has increased by 8-12 inches. In a letter to the Pallavaram municipality, the residents have sought a commitment that relaying follows proper norms to ensure that the roads do not gain in height.
When a response was sought from the Pallavaram municipality, a civic official told TOI, “We are aware that this is happening. But with no local body in place as the elections are pending, action cannot be initiated against the contractor.”