Chennai to Relay 3,505 Roads Covering 570 Km After Long Delay

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is finally starting the extensive relaying of roads to cover 3,505 city roads comprising 570 km after an eight-month gap. This much-anticipated initiative, set to conclude within three months, offers residents a reprieve from the damaged and pothole-covered surfaces they had been forced to navigate over the years. The project will benefit key areas like Duraisamy Subway, Nungambakkam Subway, and Madley Subway.

The project has a budget of ₹486 crore from the GCC and funds are expected through the 2025-26 budget. Of this, ₹150 crore is expected to come from Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Fund (TURIF), and ₹60 crore from Nagarpura Salai Membattu Thittam (NSMT). Major corridor works will be taken up in areas like Anna Nagar, Kodambakkam, Tiruvottiyur and Adyar, and also in interior roads at T Nagar and West Mambalam.

“It is our priority to deliver quality work, which is why strict measures have been adopted,” said deputy mayor Mahesh Kumar. To avoid an increase in height contractors must confirm that at least 40mm milling is performed on major roads and 30mm on interior roads. “A project management consultant will not approve the final bill if a contractor raises the height of the road. They will also need to redo the work,” he said. The relaying should launch at the end of this month.

Another 1,500 roads will be renovated with ₹200 crore from the state budget. Overall, residents in places like T Nagar, Perambur and Royapuram have complained about repeated roadworks and shoddy patchwork. Old Washermenpet resident R Ramesh pointed to the case of Mayor Basudev Street being relaid twice in five years; the relaying raised the height of the road and caused houses to remain below street level. He also noted that Metrowater often digs up roads after they have been relaid, for sewer repairs.

In addition to this, eight underground subways have been earmarked for relaying, which include the Nungambakkam and Duraisamy subways facing assessable water leaks and dilapidated infrastructure.