Residents expressed concern that the blacktop work was carried out without milling the existing surface. | Photo credit: Deepa H. Ramakrishnan
Residents of the areas along Rajiv Gandhi Salaj are objecting to the increase in the height of the highway during the recent diversion. The road was not cold milled, a process where the top layer is scrapped to ensure that the height does not increase.
Wilson, a resident of Perungudi, said the slope was too steep at many places and it was very difficult for vehicles like two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws to climb onto the road from the service lane. There have been instances of autorickshaw drivers losing control while trying to veer off the road and entering the service lane. They didn’t even make the transition gradual. The work is half done, he added.
Thoraipakkam resident S. Vasanth said the laying was done in a wrong way, especially near the joints. “Vehicles are getting big jolts at some five to six points where it has joined two sections. This just shows that they care about motorists. The lighting on the road has also not improved and there are poorly lit sections,” she pointed out.
Co-founder of the Federation of OMR Residents Associations (FOMRRA) Harsha Koda said he was concerned that the blacktopping work was done without milling the existing surface. “It would only lead to diversion of about 60 to 70 million liters of rainwater to minor roads and service lanes, setting the stage for catastrophic flooding when the monsoon hits.
“This thick layer of tar is not just a technical problem. It is a real threat to our homes, shops, offices and daily life in this vital IT corridor. We have endured years of waterlogging that has turned our roads into rivers during even light rain, leaving families stranded and halting work in IT parks. Likewise, the sewers along the road are too damaged and are draining large amounts of water.”
Published – 11 Feb 2026 05:30 IST