TWAD Board’s shoddy work poses hardships to Velloreans
VELLORE: With the northeast monsoon already wreaking havoc in many districts, the situation is moving from bad to worse in Vellore owing to the improper closure of trenches and unfinished works of relaying road to construct stormwater drains by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD).
Commuters are irked as the delay in completing the works has been causing traffic snarls on Anna Salai, one of the arterial roads of Vellore. One of the stretches that was dug up for the works, lies between the Muslim Higher Secondary School and TNSTC depot, where the road was closed without being tarred, forcing vehicles to jump to the opposite lane thereby hindering smooth flow of traffic.
Additionally, the area also has schools and business establishments, which results in traffic bottleneck during peak hours giving a tough time to the traffic cops.
Apsara Theatre- Corporation office junction, which was dug up and not closed is another crucial spot that has turned into a hell for road users. Owing to the shoddy work at this location, vehicles were being forced to move at snail’s pace. On Sunday, motorists were stranded for nearly two kilometres and as temporary measure police diverted the traffic via Sankaranpalayam.
“Another major factor that is complicating the situation is that most of the main roads in the town are two-lane and the absence of alternative roads to divert traffic,” a traffic policeman said on condition of anonymity.
Speaking about the issue, Vellore consumer federation president K Sathiyamoorthy said, “I had to go via Sankaranpalayam to reach Thorapadi but was caught in traffic congestion. I wonder why no action has been initiated so far even though officials like the Collector, DIG and SP use Anna Salai to reach their offices.”
The improper relaying of road has taken a toll on traffic at the curve close to the Murugan temple, near CMC nurses’ quarters at Kagithapattari, on Arcot Road also. When asked about this, Corporation Commissioner C Sivasubramaniam blamed the TWAD Board saying, “All works related to stormwater drains and relaying of roads after laying water supply and drainage lines are undertaken by TWAD.” When asked about the norms regarding trench closure, he said that it was the responsibility of the contractor to close the trench and relay the road. When DT next tried to contact the TWAD AE, the official was unavailable to comment.
However, Collector A Shamuga Sundram said that action would be taken to repair the roads within two days.