Two years on, sewage pipeline work leaves three roads badly damaged

Road leading to the government high school in Kumbalgodu

Three roads in Kumbalgodu await repair jobs two years after sewage pipelines were laid by the Gram Panchayat.


Old Post Office Road, Bethel Road and High School Road are not usable. Rukmani Amma who runs a provision store on the Old Post Office Road said, “What roads? No road here since a long time. We can’t even walk on it on rainy days.”


All three roads are covered with gravel and have large stones protruding along their entire stretch. Travelling in an auto is a jaw rattling experience; two wheelers have a harrowing ride.


“On my way to the office my bike slipped. I had a bad fall. This is a dangerous road. I sustained injuries on my hands and knees. My bike needs repairs. Sadly I have to use the same road daily,” spoke Mr. Palani Swami, a civil engineer, who fell two weeks ago.

Bethel Street at Kumbalgodu

Bethel India Mission School is located on Bethel Street. Parents of the children studying in the school spoke of how difficult it was for the children to commute to school “School shoes get ruined during the rains. When it rains, I take my children on vehicle though the school is nearby. I fear they may have a bad fall” said a parent.

The principal of the school Charles Thomas said, “The repairing of the roads should be given the utmost priority. The school students who walk to the school find it difficult to navigate especially during rainy season.”


He went on to elaborate how dangerous it is for the parents to bring their children on two wheelers. “We had a Parents-Teachers Meet recently where we discussed drafting a formal request to the Gram Panchayat to get the repair work started.”


Government High School is at the cul de sac of High School Road. This road is mostly mud and stones. The lashing rain has gouged the muddy lane that runs up to the entrance of the school. “There is too much water logging when it rains, we can’t go to school. Sometimes the water comes on to road. It is very difficult for us,” said Chandrakala, a Class 10 student of the high school.


Secretary of Gram Panchayat Y.V. Balasubramaniam said, “The sewage pipelines were laid in 2015. The work on the main road is completed. As far as these roads are concerned, their construction falls under 2018-19 project which we will start soon.”