In the midst of Cholera outbreaks hogging the headlines, residents of Maduvankarai have to live in extremely unhygienic conditions thanks to overflowing sewers.
Not just residents, motorists too have to suffer as those who use the stretch to reach Guindy Race Course have to wade through sewage that floods the road.
“We are facing this problem since February. But then the road was in a pathetic state and it was re-laid immediately and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) cleared the blocks in the sewage lines.
But after three weeks, sewage again started overflowing along the Maduvankarai Link Road. We need a permanent solution,” said Mr Manikandan, a resident of Masoodhi Street, Maduvankarai.
Pedestrians have the toughest time. “We can’t even think of walking on this road. Whenever vehicles pass by, sewage is splashed on pedestrians.
As there’s no place to walk, pedestrians are forced to use the middle of the road and it’s impossible,” said another resident.
Mr K. Sundaram, a motorist from Adambakkam who uses the stretch to reach Guindy said, “People from Madipakkam, Nanganallur and Adambakam have to cross this road to reach Guindy and to use the Maduvankarai road-over-bridge. When the road was re-laid and everything was cleared we thought it would be a permanent solution.”
While sewage continues to haunt both road users and residents, an official of Metro Water from Adyar Zone said they had been clearing the block daily.
“The stagnation is due to the storm water drain that carries water and sewer from Alandur,” he said.
When contacted a Corporation official of the Alandur Zone said the stagnation was not in the storm water drain and he would talk with officials of Metro water from Adyar Zone and sort out the issue.