The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Readers' Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Readers' Mail

Bizarre demand

Sir, — Six of us, including a toddler and three elderly persons, had a harrowing experience while travelling from Vaitheeswaran Koil to Tambaram on December 10 by train, because of the attitude of a ticket examiner (TTE). We had confirmed reservations from Vaitheeswaran Koil to Tambaram for five of us by the Kumbakonam-Tambaram passenger (Train No. 814). Since the train halts at Vaitheeswaran Koil for just two minutes, we opted to board it in Kumbakonam. We had journey tickets between Kumbakonam and Vaitheeswaran Koil.

However, we were shocked when the TTE of sleeper coach 5 in which we had reserved accommodation did not allow us to board the coach, despite our plea that he could collect reservation charges for the short distance. He instead demanded Rs. 300 at the rate of Rs. 60 a passenger, without giving convincing reason.

When the tickets for the entire journey cost Rs. 445, demanding Rs. 300 for a short journey was bizarre.

We had to shift to an unreserved coach while the berths, which we were to occupy from Vaitheeswaran Koil, remained empty.

The unreserved coach was beyond the platform when the train halted at Vaitheeswaran Koil, compounding our misery. We had to hurriedly detrain and run to S5 with our baggage.

The railways owes us an explanation why it would not allow us to avail reserved accommodation in the S5 coach at Kumbakonam itself.

V. Ramamurthi,

Saidapet

LSS bus stop at

P. Orr & Sons

Sir — None of the Limited Stop Service (LSS) buses bound for Tambaram and Parrys stops at P. Orr & Sons. Innumerable commuters from The Hindu, Simpson and the electronics bazaar in Anna Road area, board buses from this stop. I request the MTC to restore the stop in public interest.

P. Boobathy,

Hasthinapuram

Road lights

not working

Sir, — The stretch of GST Road near the TB Sanatorium is accident-prone. To make matters worse, more than 70 sodium vapour lights along the stretch have not been working for the last several months. The Chitlapakkam panchayat, which ought to take care of the maintenance of these lights, has neither repaired nor replaced them. There is also a damaged lamppost near the Sri Ram-Anjaneyar temple, perilously close to the GST Road.

V. Santhanam,

president, Federation of

Civic & Welfare assns. of

Pallavaram

No nationalised

bank branch

Thozhur, which is eight kilometres from Tiruvallur, has 64 villages round it. There are many schools, engineering colleges, industrial estate, factories and research organisations in Thozhur and Sevapet. But no nationalised bank has opened a branch here to serve the villages. This is one of the reasons for the backwardness of this area. It would be helpful if a nationalised bank opens a branch in Thozhur or Sevvapet.

V. Kumaravelu,

Secy., Sri Khongurunathar Meignana Sabai Trust,

Tiruvur Post,

Thozhur, Tiruvallur

Property tax arrears

Sir, — The `news item' in The Hindu, reporting that the Corporation is preparing a property tax guide is indeed welcome. This is long overdue. However, it is disheartening to learn that the property tax arrears amount to Rs. 400 crores.

It is difficult to understand why the authorities have not acted to collect the arrears for so long. Usually when arrears are due, there is a penalty clause. While there is a penalty for non-payment of CMWSS Board dues, I wonder why is there no such penal provision for property tax?

K.V.S. Krishna,

T. Nagar

Courteous service

Sir, — I stopped to fill petrol at the Bharath Petroleum outlet, in Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar. While making payment in cash with new hundred rupee notes, I gave an extra note to the salesman. I realised my mistake only when I got home. I immediately spoke with the manager over the phone. He promised action after closing accounts in the night. I was pleasantly surprised when he rang me up to say their balance was in excess and requested me to collect Rs. 100.

Arcot Easwaran

Anna Nagar west

Sai Baba's benevolence

Sir, — The photo of the newly-lined Kandaleru-Poondi canal (December 1) is testimony to Sathya Sai Baba's initiative in improving the waterway. The Sathya Sai Ganga canal, as it is aptly named, is a unique example of divine intervention. Citizens of Chennai should be thankful to him for his benevolence.

K. M. Sundaram,

Mehta Nagar

Close down

wine shop

Sir, — I, on behalf of several hundreds of residents, living on the 70 feet road in T. Nagar would like to bring to the attention of the authorities that the TASMAC wine shop functioning close to 70 feet road and Hospital street is posing a serious threat to our security.

Quite often there are fisticuffs and clashes disrupting the traffic on the 70 feet road, which connects T. Nagar with Ashok Nagar and other places. The skirmishes among drunkards at the wine shop a source of fear to senior citizens, women and children. The situation is so bad that woman and children are unable to come out to socialise or play. We request the authorities to close down the shop immediately.

On December 7, there was a fight between some "customers" and their rivals, disrupting the flow of traffic. Mambalam police had to step in and restore order.

P. Charubala & Vasanthi Ramabadran,

T. Nagar

Not enough parking space

Sir, — Scores of commuters from KK Nagar and beyond come to Mambalam station to park their vehicles every day. However, the parking area on the West Mambalam side is very small. Compounding the problem, commuters from T. Nagar side are also forced to park their vehicles on the West Mambalam side as there is no parking space on the eastern side. It is high time the authorities provided more space for parking two-wheelers.

The abundant space on the southern side of West Mambalam up to Maddeley Road can be converted into a parking lot for two-wheelers.

V. P. Ramesh,

Ashok Nagar

Widen road

Sir, — The stretch of the Madras-Tiruvallur High road from Ambattur telephone exchange bus stop to Avadi is very narrow.

The width at present is not enough to accommodate the growing traffic. Accidents are common on this road. Truck drivers from Red Hills use this road to go to Tambaram and beyond, thus avoiding traffic snarls at Padi junction.

During peak hours, vehicles literally inch along.

I appeal to the authorities in charge of NH 205, to widen the road immediately.

T. Gunaseelan,

Ambattur

Ration card

Sir, — I thank you for publishing my letter on renewal of the family card in the Readers' Mail.

The Government had announced through newspapers on December 4 its plans for the renewal of cards.

While calling for applications for renewal of cards, the application may be so worded to indicate the preference of the cardholder in buying rice/sugar. Some cardholders prefer to buy sugar and some others rice.

N. K. Aravamudan,

Nungambakkam

Reopen ticket counter

Sir, — The ticket-booking office on the eastern side of Guindy railway station has been closed down.

The rail users are being directed to buy tickets from the only booking office on the western side.

For this, they have to hop over the steep foot over bridge and retrace their steps to board trains.

M. Thiyagarajan,

Adambakkam

CMWSSB

replies

With reference to the news item in The Hindu of November 22 on water leakage on the North Boag Road, T. Nagar, the CMWSSB says: The leak was traced and rectified on November 23.

With reference to the picture in The Hindu on December 3 of sewage overflow on the New Farhan Road, off Perambur Barracks Road in Pattalam, the CMWSSB says that a crack that in the sewage pumping main at 4 p.m. on November 30 caused the overflow.

The defective pipe was replaced at 10 a.m. on December 3.

(Letters for this column can also be sent by e-mail to letters @ thehindu.co.in with full postal address. They should be marked `Readers' Mail')

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