Iyappanthangal RWA seeks better roads

Rainy season is over and summer has set in. However, the remaining half of the Union Road connecting

Rainy season is over and summer has set in. However, the remaining half of the Union Road connecting Mount Poonamallee High Road and Nadukulam in Iyappanthangal waits to be relaid.

“A portion of the road was relaid six months ago. But due to rains and the rural body elections, relaying of the remaining section was put on hold. But to this day, the road work has not resumed,” says V Pattabiram, vice-president, Maduram Nagar House Owners’ Welfare Association at Koluthuvancherry in Iyappanthangal.

The Association points out that another Union road connecting Mount Poonamallee High Road and Bharaniputhur also lacks maintenance. “On this road, stones are protruding. Further, the stormwater drains are above the road surface, which hinders free flow of water into the drain and causes stagnation. Neighbourhoods along the road — Kumaran Nagar, Sai Nagar, Dhanalakshmi Nagar and Maduram Nagarare are affected due to the water stagnation,” adds Pattabiram. As both the Union roads are in a bad shape and repeated complaints to the Kundrathur Panchayat Union have been of no avail, the Association suggests that these roads be taken over by the State Highways Department.

Yet another road in Iyappanthangal — A.N.Ezhumalai Salai — which was earlier known as Oil Mill Road is also crying for attention. This road also comes under Kundrathur Village Pachayat Union. Senthil Kumar, a resident of VGN Nagar in Iyappanthangal is drawing attention to this road.

It was relaid last in 2019. Follwing that, some patchwork was done. However, the bitumen gives away during the rains exposing the poor quality of the work. Minor accidents have earlier occurred here,” says Senthil.

He has requested the State Highways to take over A.N. Ezhumalai Salai. Senthil Kumar and Pattabiram are seeking this status up-gradation for the roads in the context of the recently passed Government Order (GO). “As per the GO, 10,000 km of rural roads under the control of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department will be taken over by the State Highways. Hence, we are requesting the authorities to consider some of the roads in our locality to be benefitted by this GO. The GO states that roads to be upgraded should satisfy one of the following criteria. They are: The length of the road should be two km or more. Roads having connectivity with National Highways or State Highways or district roads. The roads should be leading to major industries, agricultural marketing centres, a tourism centre, or a religious place. Traffic intensity should be 2000 PCU per day. Also, roads benefiting under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Scheme will not be considered. Except the length of the road, A.N. Ezhumalai Salai satisfies all the other criteria. Union Roads satisfy all the criteria,” says Senthil Kumar.