Arappor Iyakkam protests road elevation issues in Tamil Nadu

The NGO Arappor Iyakkam staged a protest near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore to demand reforms in road construction practices across Tamil Nadu. The organization claims that repeatedly re-laying roads without milling the existing surface has caused road levels to rise significantly, leaving many homes lower than the adjoining streets and making them prone to flooding.

A citizen-led audit by the group identified 245 locations across 30 districts where this issue persists, with some road-to-lot height differences reaching nearly three feet. To address this, Arappor Iyakkam has proposed seven specific measures, including making the milling of old road surfaces mandatory before laying new bitumen layers.

Other demands include measuring road elevations against mean sea level (MSL), installing benchmark stones, and publishing measurements online. The organization also called for withholding payments to non-compliant contractors, blacklisting violators, and initiating disciplinary action against responsible officials. Additionally, they requested the formation of an expert committee and compensation of up to Rs. 40 lakh for affected households.