Paved Mada Streets around Arunachaleswara temple will be ready for use by October-end

The potholed Mada Streets around Arunachaleswara temple have been converted into concrete stretches, and the ongoing work to install LED streetlights on both sides of the stretches will be completed by October-end.

Officials of the State Highways, which is executing the ₹17-crore project, said that the concrete Mada Streets would provide devotees the much-needed relief from potholes. “Work to pave the Mada Streets with concrete has been completed. Trenches on both sides of the stretch are being dug up to lay power cables for streetlights. The stretches will be ready for use by the month-end (October),” S. Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer, State Highways (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu.

Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu inspected the work on Thursday. He was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, K. Pitchandi, and Collector K. Tharpagaraj.

“Traffic on key stretches, including Mada Streets, should be regulated, and illegal parking kept in check. The ongoing storm-water drain work should be completed before Karthigai Deepam festival,” V. Shyamala, a resident, said.

Highway officials said that around 300 streetlights would be installed every 12 metres on the Mada Streets, and tiled footpaths laid on the widened stretches.

A Reverse Osmosis drinking water plant will also be set up near the rajagopuram of the temple. It will have a storage capacity of 1,000 litres. At present, devotees have to walk to Kamarai Salai, around 600 metres away from the temple, for drinking water.

Funded under the Chief Minister’s Road Development Project (CMRDP) 2024-25, the damaged Mada Streets have been widened from 7 metres to 12 metres.

The storm-water drains have also widened to discharge floodwater, and prevent inundation of the town during monsoon. Each drain is three-foot-wide and four-foot-deep. A pit has been provided between the drain and the road to accommodate the utilty lines – including electrical lines and internet cables.