Pothole-ridden Nungambakkam subway turns daily commute into ordeal

For commuters, driving through the Nungambakkam subway has turned into a nightmare, particularly during peak hours, due to bumper-to-bumper traffic and a pothole-ridden road that makes for a backbreaking ride. The stretch has become increasingly difficult to navigate, testing the patience of motorists.

The Nungambakkam subway is a vital point of connectivity in the heart of Chennai city for commuters travelling from E.V.R. Periyar Salai through Nelson Manickam Road to Nungambakkam and T. Nagar. Officegoers and students depend on this route to reach educational institutions, workplaces, and residential areas. The disruption in smooth commute due to bad road conditions in the subway has resulted in frequent traffic congestion, delays in reaching destinations, and increased discomfort for daily road users, commuters said.

According to M. Ramkumar, a resident of Choolaimedu, the recent spell of rains triggered by Cyclone Ditwah in the first week of December aggravated the existing poor road conditions in the subway. “There were several potholes in the subway filled with rainwater, making it difficult to assess their depth and manoeuvre vehicles safely. Often, motorists are forced to slow down or stop abruptly, leading to congestion and delays, particularly during peak hours in the morning and evening,” he pointed out.

Instead of re-laying the road, filling materials were dumped into the potholes as a temporary measure, leading to further problems, said R. Mrinalini, a school teacher who commutes through the stretch daily. She said the filling material was not compacted properly and soon came out of the potholes, piling up as uneven bumps on the road. The entry and exit points to the subway, along with portions of the concrete surface, were also uneven, resulting in strenuous rides for commuters.

The motorists demanded that the entire stretch of the road in the subway, along with the entry and exit points, be re-laid at the earliest. Official sources from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) said the Bridges Department had requested traffic closure for two days to carry out permanent solutions, but the Police department had not granted permission. “Currently, temporary measures such as laying patchwork and diverting stagnant water are being undertaken. If traffic is closed, proper relaying of the entire stretch with weatherproofing can be done,” the official added.