Velachery Main Road repair work is yet to begin properly after a section near the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) Substation office was dug up for laying a high-tension cable, leaving motorists to cross an uneven surface for the past two weeks.
The cable-laying work has been completed, but the excavated portion has only been covered with stones. The surface remains uneven, with pothole-like sections causing vehicles to shake while crossing the busy stretch. Motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, have been forced to slow down at the location.
Residents said the unrepaired section was creating difficulties for both road users and pedestrians. Sanjay, a resident, said the uneven portion was difficult to cross, especially for two-wheeler riders whose vehicles could become unstable on the damaged surface. He also said children and elderly people faced difficulty while crossing the stretch and that minor accidents had occurred occasionally.
Auto driver Sarath said the risk was higher at night, when motorists unfamiliar with the road may not notice the uneven portion. He called for a ‘Go Slow’ warning board to be placed near the stretch until the permanent repair is completed.
The problem highlights the safety gap that can emerge between utility works and road restoration on busy urban roads. While underground cable work may improve or expand the electricity network, leaving the carriageway temporarily covered with loose stones transfers the immediate burden of the work to road users. On a heavily used road, the quality and timing of restoration directly affect traffic movement and everyday safety.
A senior TNPDCL official told DT Next that the cable-laying work had been completed and that stones had been placed temporarily over the excavated portion. The official said the road would be restored and concrete laid over the stretch soon.
Until the concrete work is completed, motorists are continuing to negotiate the uneven section alongside other traffic. The immediate next step, according to TNPDCL, is the permanent restoration of the road surface.
