An unfinished stretch of the Pallavaram Thoraipakkam Radial Road with exposed drain pits and visible rods, depicting delays in construction and potential hazards for the upcoming monsoon season.

OMR News, Oct 06, 2023

The 12km, 200-ft Pallavaram Thoraipakkam Radial Road, celebrated as the city's secondary IT corridor, remains unfinished even after four years and a substantial budget spent on stormwater drain improvements. Residents and frequent travelers are left questioning about the funds' deployment and the pause in the development of the road, drain, and pavement.

With the approaching north-east monsoon, the primary state of the crucial road is marked by neglected pits and visible rods. The state highways department had intended to build 12km 'macrodrains' between two major points with the set budget. However, since its commencement in 2020, the project has seen scant progress.

The divisional engineer of the highway estimates another two months to wrap up the pending tasks. However, a recent inspection uncovered multiple unfinished drains at various locations along the road. The intention behind this drainage system was to channel excess water from several areas to a common destination. But, due to the project's incomplete status, there's a looming risk of flooding in adjacent lower regions.

A local activist emphasized the community's continuous requests for a quicker completion and pointed out the evident lack of direction and collaboration from the highway officials. While the assistant divisional engineer managing a particular section asserted that a majority of the work is done, he conceded to delays owing to specific infrastructural challenges. Another engineer, responsible for another segment, claimed only a minor part remains uncompleted.

Nevertheless, the local community remains doubtful. They highlight the repercussions of the ongoing stormwater drain project – absence of service lanes, traffic indicators, and bus shelters. A resident activist expressed concerns over the disjointed drain system and raised queries on the transparent utilization of the funds. Owing to the inefficiency in revamping service roads, many motorists have started using the wrong lanes, escalating traffic issues.