Damaged storm-water drain poses risk to school students
The damaged storm-water drain on the service lane off the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH44) at J.J. Nagar near Walajah town.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A damaged open storm-water drain on the service lane off the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH 44), at J.J. Nagar near Walajah town, is posing risk to pedestrians, especially school students, from six residential areas in the vicinity as they board school vehicles from near the drain every day.
Residents said that school students from areas including J.J. Nagar, Devadanam, Anaicut Road, and Vannivedu Mottur have to come to the service lane along the highway, where the pickup and drop point for school students in these areas have been earmarked. Most of the school vans and buses halt near a petrol pump on the stretch to drop them off. “Since many school vehicles halt on the service lane, we have to rush with our children to make sure they safely board the school van by crossing the damaged drain. We may not be lucky all the time,” said K. Vasantha, a parent.
Residents said that a narrow pathway connects these residential areas with the service lane. The damaged drain is around four metres long, 1.5 metres wide, and 1.5 metres deep. It is located at the intersection of the pathway with the service lane.
It was nearly a month ago when a tanker lorry driver tried to drive the vehicle on the closed drain to reach the service lane when the dilapidated structure collapsed. Since then, residents have been requesting officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to rebuild the drain, especially its damaged portion. “We have complained to the NHAI authorities about the damaged drain. But, they are yet to repair it,” said Mohammed Bilal, a resident.
Due to the damage to the drain, most of the excess rainwater gets stagnated on the drain, turning the spot into a cesspool. Mosquito breeding has also increased in recent weeks.
Officials of the NHAI said that the highway between Krishnagiri and Walajapet (Ranipet district) – a distance of 148 km – is maintained by L&T on behalf of the NHAI on a 30-year agreement for maintenance since 2012. “Efforts will be taken to rebuild the damaged portion of the drain on the service lane soon,” said a NHAI official.
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