The Metropolitan Transport Corporation has suspended the operation of small bus services between Chromepet and Medavakkam due to a damaged culvert (minor bridge) in Hasthinapuram.
The culvert across a water channel draining surplus water from Sembakkam to Nanmangalam lakes is on Ponniamman Koil Street behind the bus terminus in Hasthinapuram and was severely damaged during the flood. Officials have now placed thick iron sheets over several pipelines and trunks of coconut trees across it for cars, small commercial vehicles and two-wheelers to use it now.
This has forced MTC to withdraw its ‘small bus’ services between Chromepet and Medavakkam via Thirumalai Nagar and Jayendra Nagar. Officials said the Corporation lost at least Rs. 24,000 a day due to suspension of services.
S. Jaikumar, secretary of Thirumalai Nagar Welfare Association said the culvert was re-built in the early 1990s, but due to inadequate maintenance by Pallavaram Municipality, it ‘sank’ on many occasions. “More than 100 school vans use this culvert every day and this is a risk for children,” pointed out P. Manimozhi, a trader, who also uses this route to drop her two children at a school on Thirumalai Nagar First Main Road.
Pallavaram Municipal officials said they had sanctioned Rs. 38 lakh for carrying out repair works at the culvert. They have also sent a communication to Public Works Department for obtaining ‘No Objection Certificate’ and once technical sanction is obtained, tenders will be called for, they said.
