Zonal officials say they are in talks with the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board to replace damaged and uneven manhole covers.
Despite repeated complaints over the past few years, the issue of uneven speed breakers and manhole covers remain unaddressed across the city. Besides, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has yet to install warning signage near speed breakers.
Although local officials say a list of speed breakers and manhole covers that need repairs is being prepared, commuters contend that the issues should have been addressed well ahead of the monsoon.
Vehicle damage
“Thanks to these speed breakers and manhole covers, my vehicle often gets damaged,” said Mohana Sundari, an autorickshaw driver and member of the Veera Pengal Munnetra Sangam.
“Repairs can cost up to ₹3,000 a month. In areas such as Adyar or Anna Nagar, most speed breakers are even, but in underdeveloped areas, particularly in north Chennai, they are mostly damaged. Nowhere in the city are they painted. In the very few places where they are painted, the markings have faded. Speed breakers are hard to spot while driving at night or during heavy rain, and vehicles hit them and get damaged,” she said, adding that the problem should have been rectified during the summer.
“Customers, especially the elderly, experience back pain due to repeated and unexpected bumps into speed breakers or manholes, and blame us for driving rashly. We lose repeat customers because of this. While transporting schoolchildren, we drive slowly to ensure that they do not hit their heads while crossing these uneven portions. Many two-wheeler riders have met with accidents because of unmarked speed breakers,” Ms. Mohana Sundari added.
A senior officer of the Greater Chennai Traffic Police said they were auditing unmarked speed breakers to submit a list to the GCC. He added that none of the speed breakers carried warning signs in accordance with Indian Roads Congress regulations.
Zonal officials said they were instructed to audit the number of unmarked speed breaker and were in talks with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board to replace damaged and uneven manhole covers.
Published – October 24, 2025 11:40 pm IST
