Damaged service lane of NH-44 near CMC puts motorists at risk

The upper part of the bitumen was completely damaged by the rains from the cyclone a fortnight ago.

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A damaged narrow service lane on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway (NH 44), repaired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), poses a hazard to motorists near the Christian Medical College (CMC) Ranipet campus in Puttuthakku village.

The bitumen-top stretch was completely worn out due to the incessant rains caused by Cyclone Fengal a fortnight ago. Since then, passengers have been using the road risking their lives. The service lane measures approximately 20 feet in width and 300 feet in length to the storm water drain at its extreme end.

“Container lorries and two-wheelers have to negotiate a narrow service lane to reach the carriageway of the highway. The stretch was already badly damaged. The recent rains have made it worse. It should be completely restored to ensure the safety of road users,” said Mohammad Riaz.

Currently, NHAI has diverted all vehicles, especially those going towards Bengaluru, to the service lane to facilitate the vehicular underpass work on the highway. A Rs 18 crore subway is being constructed in one of the ‘black spots’ identified by the Ranipet district police on the highway. According to the periodic report handed over by the District Police Office to Collector JU Chandrakala, these are the places where accidents happen.

According to the standards, each underpass should be constructed at a distance of 1.5 km from the highway to ensure safety while crossing the road. Additionally, subways should come at major intersections and congested areas such as highway food joints. At present, 17 subways exist on the stretch between Waljah and Krishnagiri, officials say.

At present, the highway between Krishnagiri and Valajapet (Ranipet district), covering 148 km, is being maintained by L&T on behalf of NHAI under a 30-year contract for maintenance signed a decade ago.

On an average, about 1.2 lakh vehicles, including buses and goods-laden lorries, use the stretch between Chennai and Bengaluru.

According to the norms, regular maintenance including patchwork should be done on the stretch once in six months. However, the condition of the damaged service lane has not improved after the rain washed away the bitumen in the monsoon of 2023, according to the passengers. ‘The continuous movement of vehicles on the road makes it difficult to repair the road. Efforts will be made to restore the damaged parts of the stretch soon,” said an NHAI official.