Commuters, vendors of S.R.P. Koil Street face hardship due to drain work

Commuters and vendors on S.R.P. Koil Street (North) at Thiru Vi Ka Nagar are facing hardship owing to traffic congestion caused by dug-up roads. The roads have been dug up for the extension of the storm water drains.

The street, one of the busiest stretches connecting Thiru Vi Ka Nagar to Paper Mills Road, is lined with shops, restaurants, and street vendors. However, the condition of the road has been inconveniencing vendors and commuters. Murugan, a flower-vendor, says, “It is one of the busiest roads in the city. We used to have plenty of customers every day. But, owing to the poor condition of the road and traffic congestion, the number has drastically fallen.”

The owner of a nearby stationery shop urges the Greater Chennai Corporation to expedite the work. He adds, “The condition of the road is affecting our business and we also have to deal with a foul smell and mosquitoes.”

As many shops have lost their direct access to the road because of the work, the civic body has built a temporary bridge-way to connect them to main roads. Many shops have been severely impacted. The shop owners believe that customers would rather visit more accessible locations than taking a difficult route.

Shanthi (name changed), a fruit-vendor, says, “This is the season of festivals, and we usually look forward to it for good business. But we have not earned as much as we expected this year.” People prefer less congested and safer roads, she adds.

Another problem is the traffic congestion which worsens at peak hours. Earlier, the congestion was manageable; but, as a large part of the road has been dug up, the traffic moves at a snail’s pace.

“I have been living in this area for almost 25 years, and every year, we have been seeing visible improvement and efforts made by the government for bettering infrastructure,” says a resident of S.R.P. Colony.

M. Dawood Bee, councillor of ward 67 in zone 6, says, “The work began a month ago and we expect to complete it in 25 days.”

She adds that though the roads have been dug up for the storm water drain extension, the pits are being filled, and the roads are levelled wherever the work has been completed.

Published - September 15, 2024 11:25 pm IST