Cracked surfaces, crater-like potholes, and haphazard patches define many of Chennai’s arterial and interior roads today, highlighting the yawning gap between civic assurances and ground-level execution. As the city prepares to relay over 3,600 stretches in the coming months, widespread concerns continue to rise over the safety, durability, and planning of these public infrastructure efforts.
Despite repeated investments and promises, poor coordination among government departments and inconsistent quality of work have left key stretches in disrepair, raising questions about the long-term urban vision for Chennai. In multiple zones across the city—from Manali to Adyar and beyond—residents are navigating dangerous roads riddled with irregular surfaces and neglected stretches. These are not isolated incidents but patterns repeating themselves wherever underground infrastructure work has been undertaken. Roads damaged during underground drainage work or other utility-related excavations are often left in a half-patched state, posing both vehicular and pedestrian hazards. This has become especially concerning for vulnerable road users, including the elderly and children, who often find pavements inaccessible due to parked vehicles and are forced to use the uneven carriageway instead.
Civic officials acknowledge the issue and point to an ambitious plan under which 3,611 roads are to be relaid. Of these, nearly 1,329 were damaged due to excavation by various government agencies. Tenders have been floated for approximately half the projects, while others are undergoing technical appraisal. According to civic sources, full-scale relaying will begin in May and is expected to be completed before the monsoon. A combined budget of ₹306 crore from three funding sources—including the Nagarpura Salai Membattu Thittam (NSMT), Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Fund (TURIF), and municipal corporation reserves—has been allocated for this fiscal.
Despite the roadmap, on-the-ground progress remains sluggish and often counterproductive. Roads that were recently relaid are being dug up again by utilities such as the city’s water and electricity boards, exposing glaring coordination failures among departments. Residents have expressed concern that such repeated excavation not only negates earlier work but also strains public resources. With no centralised system for inter-agency coordination, overlapping projects are becoming the norm rather than the exception.
Adding to public frustration is the structure of civic contracts. Projects are grouped into region-based packages and awarded to large contractors with high-value capacities. While this model is said to ensure access to necessary equipment like milling and paving machinery, it often results in compromised execution. Contractors, burdened by extensive deliverables across wide geographies, are accused of rushing jobs, which ultimately affects road longevity. This approach contrasts with earlier models where ward-wise tenders allowed for more granular monitoring and accountability.
Though authorities defend the current system as the most viable given the scale of urban infrastructure work, residents and civic groups are demanding a more transparent and accountable mechanism. There is growing consensus that quality and sustainability must trump speed and cost-saving, especially in a coastal city vulnerable to climate-related stresses and heavy monsoons. Infrastructure that is neither resilient nor inclusive directly contradicts Chennai’s stated aspirations of becoming a sustainable and equitable metropolis.
Until coordination improves and roads are built to last rather than patched for the moment, Chennai’s public infrastructure will remain a daily test of endurance. With thousands of roads left waiting for repair and hundreds of crores earmarked for relaying, the city now faces a critical juncture—where either it can set a new benchmark for urban resilience or continue a cycle of decay that erodes both public trust and environmental sustainability.
Chennai Residents Endure Bumpy Commutes While Authorities Plan Massive Road Repairs
