The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 11, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Reporter's Diary

The `no parking' signboards are invariably erected at certain places to warn motorists against parking their vehicles at unwanted spots. A known fact, of course! But this is not the case of a board put up in front of the District Sessions Court in the city.

The board fell down recently, and the pole stands as a mute spectator to the vehicles passing by. In the absence of the board, several motorists violate the rules, causing hindrance to other road-users.

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It seems that the problem of water sharing has pervaded every strata of society.

Though public water taps are for meant for the use of every house, disputes arise when individuals claims ownership.

For instance, a government official residing in the Iyer Bungalow area claims that the tap near his house is exclusively for his use. Since none disputed his claim, he was enjoying the benefits and, at times even used the water for irrigating his garden by connecting a long hose across the road to the tap.

But when a resident, joined by a few others, raised objection, it led to a wrangle. The brusqueness of the official silenced everybody, and as usual he continues enjoying the "exclusive" supply.

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No celebration can be devoid of traditional touch. In fact, the traditional flavour would add charm to it. Sometimes, it also proves a good entertainment to the participants, especially children, who may not be interested in serious speeches.

In one such arrangement, the administration of the St. Mary's Cathedral, which is celebrating its 160th anniversary, organised different cultural programmes to mark the valedictory function. The function started with a Bharatnatyam by students. After three speakers addressed the gathering, a `kolattam' set to the tune of a devotional song was presented, and then came a folk dance. Thus the programme had different elements to interest every segment of the audience.

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With the growing number of automobiles and encroachments, road traffic is often coming to a grinding halt in many parts of the city.

After dusk, the movement of omni buses aggravates traffic congestion in such areas as the Periyar bus stand, Simmakkal and Goriplayam. A proposal to make the Anna bus stand the originating point of all omni buses is yet to be implemented.

The Chennai-bound omni buses start from the Periyar bus stand during the rush hours and stop at Goripalayam, K.K. Nagar and Mattuthavani to pick up passengers. When the number of passengers is not adequate, they are parked in front of the Integrated bus stand, sometimes even for an hour, to take in passengers till the last minute. With festivals fast approaching, traffic problems would only increase.

It is time the authorities concerned earmarked a place away for omni buses to originate/terminate, to ease the congestion in the city, feel road-users.

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(Contributions from

J.V. Siva Prasanna

Kumar, T. Saravanan,

M.R. Aravindan

and S. Vijay Kumar.)

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