Just two days into monsoon, city roads turn unmotorable

(File Photo)

Even though the city has received a 47 per cent deficient rainfall compared to the actual and normal rainfall level for the first two days of November, all the roads including arterial stretches are in pathetic shape. Dotted with potholes filled with rainwater, the corporation has come under fire from consumer welfare associations and residents for not taking up road works ahead of the monsoon.

Though Rs 11 crore was sanctioned by the civic body to take up 38 road projects, not even a single work has been taken up. Even as the monsoon started lashing the city, the corporation has missed the opportunity to give the roads a new lease of life.
Even as the northeast monsoon in the district, particularly in the city has not intensified in the last few days, a majority of the roads have started to deteriorate following the sporadic rainfall last week. The corporation that has been fetching top ranks in Swachh Bharat Mission's pan-India ranking seems to have failed to provide emphasis on repairing damaged roads. Even as announcements came from Trichy corporation to renovate and relay as many as 38 road works at an estimated cost of Rs 11 crore, the most accessed stretches in the city continues to be in a bad shape.
H Ghouse Baig, secretary, consumer protection council Ponmalai branch, said, "It is hard to identify the most damaged road in the city as all roads are equal in offering back-breaking rides. The civic body should identify contractors who are best in terms of quality while implementing the road works rather than awarding to those who can implement the project with minimal funds."
Criticising the civic body for not taking up the road works much ahead of rains, road users have urged the corporation to relay quality roads after the monsoon ends. Alleging that poor quality of road construction has been leading to frequent deterioration of even the recently laid roads, road users sought the Trichy corporation to blacklist contractors whose works were found faulty in the past. "Even the arterial roads such as Anna Nagar link road and several link roads leading to the Central bus stand are in their poorest form. Karur by-pass road has started to come off and could not even sustain less than a centimeter rainfall day," adds S Priyadarshan, resident of Annamalai Nagar. The officials with urban local body assured that city roads would get a new look post monsoon.

Source:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/just-two-days-into-monsoon-city-roads-turn-unmotorable/articleshow/61473398.cms