Chennai: Commuters along Mount Poonamallee Road near Nandambakkam are grappling with chaos and endless gridlocks, as Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) construction, civic work and bad roads have brought traffic to a near standstill throughout the day.With CMRL construction taking over nearly half the carriageway and Tangedco digging up the remaining stretch, motorists have little to no room to breathe. Ongoing CMRL construction near Nandambakkam is part of the phase-2 corridor 5 project, which aims to extend the metro network from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur.A one-way diversion was established on Mount Poonamallee Road near Nandambakkam in Aug last year, rerouting traffic through a temporary path on defence ministry land adjacent to the Madras War Cemetery. “This used to be a slow stretch during rush hour before CMRL work started, but now it’s a complete disaster zone all day. Tangedco work is prolonging too. I hardly see men work here,” said M Suresh, a cab driver who often travels between Porur and Guindy. “You can’t drive a vehicle without bumping into barricades or potholes,” he said.Traffic congestion, which once peaked during mornings and evenings, now stretches from Porur to Kathipara flyover through most of the day. Motorists say though roads in this area are wide in some places, there’s barely any proper tarring for vehicles to drive on. Uneven patchwork only worsens the situation, making the ride bumpy and difficult.“I leave home 40 minutes earlier now, but I’m still late to work almost every day,” said R Bhuvana, an IT employee from Iyyappanthangal. “There’s just no way to avoid this stretch. Police should ensure that govt agencies are held accountable and made to restore the roads themselves once their work is completed,” she said.Also, the once-manageable junction at Paul Wells Road — where Butt Road and Police Officers Road intersect — is now a hotbed of confusion. The road is narrow and bumpy, forcing larger vehicles to inch forward in long queues. In a desperate bid to bypass snarls, many motorists have taken to using the pavements — damaging them and putting pedestrians at serious risk. However, without swift road restoration and better coordination between agencies, Mount Poonamallee Road will remain a commuter’s daily nightmare.