Recent road repairs on Chennai OMR fall apart, leaving potholes and loose stones

Motorists and pedestrians in Chennai are facing severe difficulties due to damaged patches and potholes on Rajiv Gandhi Salai, commonly known as OMR, and the Medavakkam - Sholinganallur Road.

Affected Areas

These bad stretches are primarily located in sections where Chennai Metrorail construction work is currently under way. Mettukuppam resident V. Raman noted that the Sholinganallur junction is the worst spot, forcing motorists to slow down and creating major traffic slowdowns, especially during busy school hours. He added that the local service lanes are also in very poor condition.

Resident Complaints

Krishna Suresh, a resident of Karapakkam, pointed out that recent repair work at the Sholinganallur junction has completely worn away. Small blue metal stones have come loose from both roads, occasionally hitting passing vehicles. Pedestrians are also struggling to walk safely because of the extensive road damage. Harsha Koda, co-founder of the Federation of OMR Residents Associations, stated that portions of OMR re-laid in February have already fallen apart. He explained that the road height was increased without any study on rainwater flow, causing flooding issues, and called for an independent flood risk study.

Context

Road degradation during major infrastructure projects like metro rail construction is a common challenge in urban areas due to heavy excavation and movement of heavy machinery. Proper coordination between civic bodies and transport planners is essential to ensure temporary road surfaces remain durable and safe for daily commuters.