5 months ago
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Roads covering a total distance of 2587.88 km belonging to the Highways department have been damaged at 651 locations due to the impact of cyclone Michaung in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts, officials said.
“Many roads have taken a bad hit due to water-logging and incessant rains. The top wearing coat of roads has just been washed away or shrunk due to the rain and vehicles driving on the damaged surfaces. Potholes have also developed making driving an ordeal. The repairs need to be taken up on a war-footing,” said an official.
Roads like Medavakkam – Sholinganallur; Velachery - Tambaram; Rajiv Gandhi Salai and Tambaram - Mudichur; Noombal Road; Tiruvottiyur – Ponneri - Panchetti Road; Madhavaram – Redhills Road; and Sothupakkam Road are all cases in point.
Similarly, a total of 11 bridges have been damaged and would require repairs worth ₹68 crore, while restoration of 271 causeways and culverts would cost ₹162.79 crore. In Tiruvallur district, a bridge across the Kosasthalaiyar River at Poochiathipedu was completely washed out, and six causeways across the Cooum and the Kosasthalaiyar have also been damaged badly.
Roads have been breached at six locations, including Thaiyyur on Rajiv Gandhi Salai. The force of water has cut through the road pushing off a huge chunk of it and running through that gash. “The road cannot be used and we have created temporary diversions at these locations. It would cost us ₹15.4 crore to restore the roads at these points. These are not locations that have culverts or are known water courses,” explained another official.
Drains and medians at 130 locations would need ₹283.52 crore for repair work. It has been estimated that the temporary restoration of these facilities will cost ₹542.32 crore while permanent restoration would require ₹964.69 crore. The total cost of these works stands at ₹1507.01 crore. The list of works and costs have been presented to the central team, officials added.
