Danger lurks in form of open drain on Poonamallee High Rd

Danger lurks in form of open drain on Poonamallee High Rd

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.06.2021

Motorists and pedestrians, beware! In Arumbakkam, along Poonamallee High Road, is a wide unfinished storm water drain canal with protruding iron rods and sharp concrete edges.

Road users say the highways department failed to secure the drain properly and, instead, put up barricades at some places.

This has been the case for six months and requests to either finish the work or close up the space with temporary slabs have gone unnoticed, said residents.

The largest open area is right between two apartment complexes near Panjaliamman temple and there are similar open structures without barricades along the stretch too.

With no reflectors on the barricades, motorists take a huge risk using this stretch at night.

“It is not even properly barricaded. The authorities have set up makeshift barricades using wooden logs on one side while the side near the entry of an apartment complex is open. Those unaware of the trench such as food delivery and e-commerce delivery agents stand risk of falling into it at night,” said L Karthikeyan, a resident.

Around 500 families reside in just the two apartment complexes and there is the risk of unattended children getting hurt because of the open drain.

“It is a busy stretch and with no clear warning signs, motorists run risk of accident,” said M Paramesh of Arumbakkam.

About six months ago, a woman and her daughter died after their bike fell into an open drain along the service road off Irumbuliyur-Maduravoural Bypass Road.

The stretch is a state-controlled national highway.

“The work was stalled due to pandemic and the unavailability of workers. We have to recover an encroachment on the other side of the Poonamalee High Road and connect the storm water drain to the culvert near Panchaliamman koil. Work will begin next week,” said a senior engineer with the construction and maintenance department, Tamil Nadu highways.

RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK: Locals said the the area is not properly protected and could lead to accidents particularly at night as the existing barricades don’t have reflectors