Strengthening of Vayalur Road stretch nearing completion

Strengthening of Vayalur Road nearing completion; work to be taken up for remaining stretch next financial year. Road widened to 7m, drains raised to 2ft; residents fear flooding during monsoon. Alternative roads planned to ease congestion.

Work on strengthening of a nearly four-km-long stretch of Vayalur Road, which has emerged as one of the busiest arterial roads in the city in recent years, is nearing completion.

The Highways Department is executing the work at an estimate of ₹19 crore, covering a distance of about 3.8 km from Puthur Four Roads Junction. The remaining stretch of the road is expected to be taken up for development next financial year.

According to sources in the department, the work is nearing completion. Though the road does not offer much scope for widening, paver block stones have been laid wherever space is available. They have been laid on the roadsides to prevent frequent digging for installing utility lines.

The developed stretch of the road has a width of about seven metres now, a senior official of the department said.

The development of the road has given breathing space for motorists, as the narrow stretch has been catering to ever increasing traffic.

However a section of residents point out that the storm water drains are too high. “The drains are nearly two feet above the road and it is difficult for elders to climb them. Besides, as the road level has been raised, many residents and shopkeepers along the road fear that rainwater may flow into their premises during the monsoon,” observes V. Sundararaju, a retired District Forest Officer and resident of Srinivasa Nagar South.

The platforms over the drains have also been largely encroached by vendors and shopkeepers, he added.