Chennai: A few hundred residents from several districts across the state took part in a protest in the city on Sunday, demanding that the Tamil Nadu govt eradicate corruption in road work and stop raising road height.Anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam organised the protest under the banner Kelu Tamil Nadu Kelu. Seven demands were placed before the govt.These include making it mandatory for contractors to mill the existing road to the required depth before laying a new surface and recording road levels relative to Mean Sea Level (MSL) using reference markers. Document measurements before and after road works in measurement books and upload them online.The protesters also demanded mandatory photographic and video evidence of the milling depth and road levels before and after the work. Contractors should not be paid if they fail to follow the prescribed procedures and cause road levels to rise. Officials and contractors responsible for wasting public money should face stringent action, they said.Other demands include compensation of up to ₹40 lakh (calculated on a per-sqft basis) for every house affected by road elevation; gradually reducing the height of main roads to restore the original levels of interior streets; and setting up an expert committee to address the problems faced by houses and roads already affected.Renu Karthik, a resident of Chromepet, who took part in the protest, said the contractors kept increasing the road height, causing sewage to flow into his house. “When I confronted the official, he said nothing could be done as our houses are below the road level,” he said.Sujatha Vijayaraghavan of Alwarpet said the govt must engage qualified corporate companies to relay roads and assess the height of existing roads. “The contractors have been doing a shoddy job. Over the last 20 years, Alwarpet roads have risen in height. We have met and petitioned every single corporation commissioner and yet, no solution ensued,” she said.During the protest, Arappor Iyakkam coordinator Jayaram Venkatesan said contractors avoid milling roads to pocket the extra money. “We have to be vigilant when local bodies start the work. If they increase road height, we should make them stop the work, publish photos of contractors and officials, and seek action,” he said.As part of its campaign, Arappor Iyakkam released a pamphlet urging residents across Tamil Nadu to meet officials from the municipal administration, rural development and state highways departments responsible for road works in their respective areas.
