ABSTRACT
Chapter 5, ‘Roads’, deals with roads and streets of 18th–century Madras. The object is to analyse the environmental considerations in the construction and maintenance of roads and streets. Their importance, development, improvements, names, bridges, and transport are brought into this chapter. Roads were developed as straight lines running miles at a stretch. Streets joined the roads generally at right angles. Streets, lanes, bye lanes, and gullies too were straightened and widened at busy stretches. Mount Road, Poornamallee Road, and Nellore Road formed the main arteries towards the south, west and north, respectively. Most of them were named after some celebrated persons or the prominent residents of that street or gully, for example Walaja, Rundall, Lingichetty etc.; a prominent business, for example Flower–bazar; by size, for example Chinna–bazar or Pedda (Peria)–mitta; or connecting places, for example Mount, Muthialpet, Poornamallee, and Nellore; and other clearly recognisable landmarks. House front and approach roads were laid and maintained by the house owners and factory owners. Bridges were built on the rivers and canals. Funds were raised by lotteries while some rich philanthropists like Petrus Uscan and the Arcot nawab built some bridges from their own funds. Temples too had contributed their share. Kachha roads were laid down to facilitate house constructions while the leftover materials were used to further strengthen those connecting roads. The city corporation was responsible to maintain them neat and clean and facilitate smooth and easy vehicular transport. Most of the transport passing on the roads and streets under the tree shade was on horseback, carts drawn by horses and oxen, palanquins, donkeys, camels, and elephants. Boats were run on the water channels.
