Stretch dug up for stormwater drains congests traffic on Chennai’s Anna Nagar avenue

Chennai: The 3km-long Anna Nagar second avenue, which is a prime commercial hub, is now in shambles, causing inconvenience to commuters. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) last month dug up the entire stretch — from Roundtana to Thirumangalam — to construct stormwater drains (SWDs). Yet, there are few workers present during the day. Pedestrians struggle to navigate rickety boards bridging the carriageway and roadside shops. Several patches have no barricades and exposed rods pose a danger.J Menaka, an employee of a restaurant, said they should have closed the pits in a week but it's been a month without progress. "We closed the shop for four days because of the work and received no compensation. Even after we reopened, sales are slower than usual as we are unable to set up tables and chairs in front of our shop."The stretch is congested during peak hours with pavements dug up, and vehicles parked in the carriageway slowing down traffic. The stretch also has key bus stops such as the Roundtana, Blue Star, and 12th Main Road, apart from important metro stations such as Anna Nagar East, Tower Park, and Thirumangalam. S Manu, who works with a security firm, said the project poses an obstruction for motorists and pedestrians. Those who board buses don't have a proper waiting shed. S Jayanthi, who regularly utilizes public transportation said parts of the road lacked bus stops and facilities such as benches for regular travellers. S Ashok, assistant corporation engineer, said the project has been going on since the end of Jan and will continue till July. "Work is happening 24/7 and will address flooding in these parts. Police only permit major work overnight because of potential traffic jams. However, no delays are expected."