Chennai has identified 66 damaged bus-route roads covering 45.13 km for relaying at an estimated cost of ₹77.73 crore, as councillors warn that deteriorating surfaces could increase accident risks during the Northeast monsoon.
The issue was raised at a ward committee meeting this week after the monsoon set in over Tamil Nadu. Councillors said several important roads used by buses and heavy vehicles remained damaged, while patchwork repairs and delays in restoring roads dug up for utility works continued to affect residents.
Ward 35 councillor S. Jeevan said the damaged stretch of Tondiarpet High Road had not been relaid. He told the meeting that patchwork repairs on damaged bus routes could worsen road conditions during the monsoon and increase the risk of accidents. He said the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) had been expected to relay at least some important bus routes before the rains began.
Ward 104 councillor T.V. Shemmozhi said Anna Nagar 13th Main Road had suffered damage after buses and heavy vehicles were diverted because of Metro Rail work in the area. Residents have also complained about damaged stretches of Basin Elephant Gate Road, Korattur East Avenue, P.T. Rajan Salai, Indira Nagar First Avenue and Vijayaraghava Road.
The complaints also cover roads excavated for works by Chennai Metrowater, gas pipeline agencies and telecom service providers. In some locations, residents have reported delays in repairing the road surfaces after the utility work was completed, adding to the deterioration of routes used by public buses and other heavy vehicles.
GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the corporation had identified the 66 roads for relaying under the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Transformation Mission. The work is estimated to cost ₹77.73 crore. According to the Commissioner, 58 of the roads had been cleared by the first sanctioning committee and the Government Order was awaited.
The municipal response has not been uniform across the city. The GCC has restored damaged roads in some areas, while the Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents Welfare Associations said several roads in the locality had been relaid after being excavated by different agencies.
The planned relaying programme places the responsibility for restoring key bus routes with the GCC, while the pending Government Order remains the immediate administrative milestone before the cleared works can proceed. Councillors’ concerns centre on completing durable road repairs rather than relying only on short-term patching during the monsoon.
