CHENNAI: Despite Madras High Court directions and chief secretary Irai Anbu's government order, roads are still not milled before being relaid. On Wednesday, Gandhi street in Perungalathur was relaid overnight without being milled, said residents.
“We couldn't question them as roads were relaid in the middle of the night without our knowledge. When we woke up, a stretch of three kilometres was relaid,” said Vijaya Ganapathi, a resident who flagged the issue first.
Although chief minister MK Stalin inspected roads to ensure that they were milled, contractors seem to not follow the rules. “Height of the road has increased at least by half-a-foot, putting houses in the stretch prone to flooding as they are now below the road level,” he said.
Calling this a brazen violation, Arappor Iyakkam Convenor Jayaram Venkatesan said this compromises the quality of the road, in conveniencing locals. “The road height perhaps was a reason for the deadly Thanjavur chariot accident. The contractors need to be blacklisted, and officials concerned must be suspended,” he said.
Venkatesan said the chief minister cannot be inspecting all the works and added that the system needs to step up to get the work done.
When TOI contacted Nedungundram panchayat president Vanitha, her husband Srinivasan said he would talk to the highway department official concerned. "I will look into it," he said, refusing to give the phone to his wife.
