Neelankarai residents along the East Coast Road continue to battle waterlogged and broken roads as delays in underground drain work enter their second year. While the project was intended to modernise sewer infrastructure in areas relying on septic tanks, the slow pace of implementation has brought local life to a standstill. Several key stretches like Blue Beach Road, Kapaleeswarar Nagar 4th Main Road and Marakkayar Nagar remain dug up and riddled with potholes.
Locals, especially the elderly, find mobility increasingly difficult. For residents like a 65-year-old from Marakkayar Nagar, even an evening walk has become a hazard. Community representatives say the inconvenience has crossed acceptable limits. Officials managing the project confirmed that works have been completed in select pockets and handed over to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) for road relaying. However, large sections including Kapaleeswarar Nagar remain unfinished. Project engineers stated that pending works would take at least another month, after which full road restoration could begin. Casuarina Drive, home to well-known figures and thus better maintained, remains untouched by the drain works so far. This disparity has only heightened the frustration among residents in nearby areas, who feel civic priorities are skewed.
With Blue Beach Road often unmotorable and Casuarina Drive restricted during weekends due to crowd control measures near celebrity homes, residents say they are forced to navigate damaged roads repeatedly. The lack of alternate access has intensified local outcry. Ward-level officials have acknowledged the concerns and assured that the matter will be prioritised. However, GCC officials remained unavailable for comment, leaving many residents sceptical about immediate improvements. The situation in Neelankarai underscores a larger pattern seen in urban infrastructure development where project delays result in prolonged hardship for communities. While the shift from septic tanks to underground drainage is a necessary step towards sustainable urban sanitation, the failure to align timelines and road restoration shows a lack of planning.
As Chennai aspires to be an inclusive and resilient city, gaps between intent and execution on ground-level civic projects must be urgently addressed. The residents of Neelankarai wait not only for new drains, but also for roads that are safe, accessible, and walkable once again.
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