Chennai’s damaged bus-route roads are facing renewed scrutiny ahead of the Northeast monsoon, with councillors warning that potholes, unfinished relaying and delayed repairs could increase accident risks across the city. The Greater Chennai Corporation has identified 66 bus-route roads measuring 45.13 km for relaying at an estimated cost of ₹77.73 crore.
The issue was raised at a ward committee meeting this week after the Northeast monsoon set in over Tamil Nadu. Ward 35 councillor S. Jeevan said the damaged stretch of Tondiarpet High Road had not yet been relaid, and warned that patchwork repairs could deteriorate further during the rainy season.
“Moreover, the Northeast monsoon is likely to increase the risk of accidents on bad roads, particularly bus routes,” Mr. Jeevan said. He added that councillors had expected the Greater Chennai Corporation to relay at least some important bus routes before the monsoon began.
Ward 104 councillor T.V. Shemmozhi said Anna Nagar 13th Main Road had been damaged after buses and heavy vehicles were diverted because of Metro Rail work in the area. The diversion has added pressure to a road already affected by construction-related traffic, according to the report.
Residents have also complained about damaged stretches along Basin Elephant Gate Road, Korattur East Avenue, P.T. Rajan Salai, Indira Nagar First Avenue and Vijayaraghava Road. Several of these routes carry regular bus traffic, making the condition of their surfaces relevant to daily public transport operations and road safety.
The complaints also point to a broader coordination problem involving roads excavated for utility works. Residents said repairs had been delayed on stretches dug up for Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board work, gas pipelines and telecom services. While the Greater Chennai Corporation has restored roads in some areas, unfinished reinstatement work has left other routes vulnerable to further damage during rainfall.
A. Francis, president of the Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents Welfare Associations, said many roads in the area had been relaid after being excavated by different agencies. His comments indicate that road restoration has progressed in some parts of the city, even as councillors continue to report unresolved damage elsewhere.
Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the civic body had identified 66 damaged bus-route roads for relaying under the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Transformation Mission. Of these, 58 roads have been cleared by the first sanctioning committee, he said, with the Government Order awaited.
The approved works cover a planned relaying programme rather than only short-term patch repairs. The timing of the Government Order and the start of work will determine how quickly the identified routes can be improved during the monsoon period. The Corporation’s next stated milestone is the issuance of the Government Order for the 58 cleared roads.
