Chennai: A tennis court maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation on Third Street in A L Block, Anna Nagar, has developed multiple cracks across its playing surface only two months after construction, rendering it unusable and prompting questions about the quality of the work.The court cost roughly Rs 15 lakh to build. Assistant engineer Nandagopalan said the court has developed ‘air cracks’ and rectification work will be carried out. Contractor Arumugam disagreed. He said the damage was caused by roots of trees around the court. “There are many trees around the court. Their roots have caused the surface to crack. Rectification works are ongoing. We will ensure this does not happen again. If anything, I will carry out works at my own expense,” he said.However, an expert who runs an academy in Kilpauk said the damage within months indicates issues with the contractor. He said the base layer must be properly levelled and allowed to cure before the acrylic or rubber surface is laid. “There are proper timelines for this. It may take around three months. If the acrylic or rubber is laid over asphalt before it has fully cured, air can get trapped beneath the surface. When it rains, the trapped air interacts with moisture, creating pressure that pushes through the coating, causing it to crack and lift,” he said. “The courts in my academy are developing cracks only after four years of use,” he added.The explanation that tree roots caused the damage has also drawn criticism. Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam said such issues should have been identified during construction itself if roots were interfering with the court. “After spending money and completing the project, they cannot blame it on the roots now,” he said. “GCC officials must carry out quality checks during the project, which they often don’t do. Action must be taken against the contractor. They must hire a different contractor and redo the entire court,” he said.For residents and sports users, the condition of the court has raised broader concerns. Varalakshmi N, a sports enthusiast, said the issue should not be dismissed as a minor infrastructure defect. “There is a feeling that corporation facilities are subpar. This should not be seen as a mere infrastructure flaw, it is a safety concern. Who can use the court now?,” she said.
