CHENNAI: Greater Chennai Corporation on Tuesday sanctioned a temporary fund of Rs 10 lakh each to its 15 zones to immediately fix all potholes. The corporation’s move follows the death of a software engineer due to a crater on Anna Salai on Monday.
The civic body also directed zonal engineers to inspect all roads with craters and rectify them in a week’s time. They were told to barricade locations where storm water drain or Metrowater work is underway. All digging must be stopped and concrete can be laid only in locations where roads have been milled and drain location dug, the civic body said.
“Wherever work has been completed, roads should be levelled. We will conduct inspections daily,” a senior corporation official told TOI.
Chief engineer (general) S Rajendiran said zonal officials were asked to figure out how the pothole was formed. “If it is due to a road cut, then a wet mix is poured into it as a temporary measure. In locations where the pothole is due to roads being worn out or its age, a cold mix is poured. In other locations, at least gravel and debris should be used to make the road even,” he said.
Roads in Royapuram (1,628 roads), Thiru Vi Ka Nagar (1,051), Anna Nagar (1,010) and Adyar (1,140) zones have the most potholes.
Most roads in civic body limits were laid in the past three years. However, a lot of roads were dug up for laying drains and telecommunication cables. In some locations, it was done without the knowledge of corporation officials. Companies undertaking cable laying must get permission form the civic body and pay a sum for road cut restoration, which is usually used for patch work or to relay the road. The civic body has about Rs 5 crore in this fund.
