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Readers' Mail

Beauty marred

by pollution

Sir, — Recently I travelled by the evening Nilgiri passenger from Ooty to Mettupalayam on the hill track. I enjoyed nature's bounty as the train passed through forests and hills, tunnels and small bridges in a beautiful and picturesque natural set-up.

The only discordant note was that the train was hauled by an old steam engine emitting clouds of thick, dark smoke and coal grains and dust, that enveloped and pervaded all coaches behind the engine. This marred the pleasantness of the journey and the beauty of the Nilgiris flora and fauna. The railway will do well if it introduces diesel engines in place of steam engines.

M.V. Kumar,

Indira Nagar

Payments not acknowledged

Sir, — I am a regular taxpayer of the Pallavaram municipality since 20 June 1988. So far I have never defaulted in any payment to the Municipality. When I went to pay property tax for 2004-2005 first and second halves at the newly computerized tax bill collection centre the staff refused to collect the money saying that I had dues and only after I cleared them could they accept this year's tax. I showed all the original tax receipts to them. They refused to be convinced and directed me to the bill collector of my area. I met him and explained the problems. I showed all my payment receipts, but he did not know how to solve the problem of computer error. In this connection I wrote two letters on June 28, 2004 and March 25, 2005 to the Commissioner and the Revenue officer of Pallavaram Municipality. In the past year I have gone to the municipality several times, to no avail.

K. Rukmangathan,

Pallavaram

Road in bad shape

Sir, — The entire stretch of road from Pallavaram to Mangadu is in a very bad condition for more than a year, with numerous potholes. Even travelling by bus once a week is tiresome. The plight of drivers, conductors, passengers and vehicle users who travel daily on this route is pitiable. If the Government has no funds to relay the road, it should at least patch up the really bad stretches.

There is a historic Kamatchiamman temple and Kumaran Institute of Technology on this route. It is high time the authorities took action.

C. D. Mani,

Pallavaram

Water rate hike unjustified

Sir, — The Pallavapuram Municipality has silently doubled its monthly water charges for consumers from Rs. 25.50 to Rs. 51 starting April 1, 2005. The public was not informed. It was only when they went to the Municipality to pay the charges that they came to know about it. Though the Municipality had passed a resolution in the council, it never sought the views of the people - especially the Resident Welfare Associations. The residents who have water connections are not getting sufficient quantity of water. Many tail-end areas of Pallavaram and Chromepet are not getting water due to lack of pressure in the distribution lines despite of having water taps. The defect has not been set right by the Municipality.

Yet the consumers are asked to pay higher water charges. The Municipality paid Rs. 1.5 crores a couple of years ago to the TWAD Board for additional supply of 24 lakhs litres from a third source in the Palar basin, which is yet to be supplied by them. The Municipality is unable to prevent illegal water tapping. There is a huge loss of revenue due to water theft. It is quite unfair on the part of the Municipality to enhance the water charges, without ensuring adequate water supply. Will the Pallavapuram Municipality reconsider its decision and revert to the old charges?

V. Santhanam,

president,

Chromepet Newcolony Resident's

Welfare Society, Chromepet,

Unauthorised

subway parking

Sir, — The residents of Adambakkam, Alandur and surrounding areas felt relieved when they finally got a subway near the St. Thomas Mount Railway Station. A lot of vehicles now pass through the subway every day.

However, a number of cars and heavy vehicles are parked on the sides of this subway, especially on Adambakkam side. This unauthorised parking not only hinders the free flow of vehicles, and makes it likely that accidents will happen. Will the traffic police help prevent parking of vehicles in the subway permanently?

J. Manohar Singh,

Adambakkam

Ordeal at the

RTO office

Sir, — On April 1 I went to K.K. Nagar, RTO office at noon to renew my two-wheeler licence. It was a horrible experience for me. As a woman, I was totally frustrated with the behaviour of the RTO officials by the time I got my licence renewed at 7 p.m.

The officials said "we are not sitting here for you, do not come and disturb us". After 4 p.m. onwards, brokers and driving school authorities came with 10 or 15 applications, which were perused swiftly and disposed of rapidly. Why are individuals being put to so much trouble for just renewing a licence?

S. Suganthi,

Nesapakkam,

K.K. Nagar (W)

Entry fee for

public park

Sir, — The "Thiru V.K. Poonga" was opened recently at the junction of Gandhiji Road and Indira Gandhi Road, Ramakrishna Nagar in Alwar Thirunagar by the Valasaravakkam Panchayat.

For a week after inauguration, senior citizens and others were allowed to take their morning walk inside the park on the path laid down.

But from April 9, the park is charging Re. 1 per head for taking a walk.

Why is it necessary for the Panchayat to charge an entry fee to take a walk in the park?

N. Srinivasan,

Alwar Thirunagar

FOB at Mambalam station

Sir, — Autorickshaws are not allowed to park near Mambalam railway station on Ranganathan Street of late, despite the fact that all trains from the south halt at Mambalam and nearly 60 per cent of passengers alight here.

A foot over bridge (FOB) on platform 3 with an exit on the T. Nagar side near Duraiswamy subway will be a boon to these passengers.

S.S. Rajan,

West Mambalam

Unseemly behaviour

Of RPF men

Sir, — I am a first class season ticket holder. On April 7 when we were going to Central in the morning by a suburban train, some Railway Protection Force constables in uniform entrained at Perambur and occupied the seats. They stretched their legs towards the women passengers sitting opposite causing much embarrassment. When asked to sit properly, they became abusive. I would like to know whether at RPF constables are eligible to travel in I Class?

M. Santhanam,

Ambattur

Roads not tarred

Sir, — Our area Senthil Nagar, Kolathur comes under the 62nd Division of the Corporation. It has 15 cross streets and 3 main roads but none of the streets/roads has been tarred/black topped for the past 8 years. This despite the fact that ours is the only Association in the whole of 62nd Division that arranges for a Property Tax Collection centre every 3 months. Thus we have enabled 100 per cent tax collection for the past 13 years.

Why is Senthil Nagar neglected continually?

Will the Corporation act to redress this?

G. Abyvarghese,

president, Senthil Nagar Youth & Residents' Welfare Assocaition

Railways thanked

Sir, — This has reference to my letter published in "The Hindu" of Dec. 4, 2004 and our views expressed in the `Downtown' of January 30, 2005 regarding increase in frequency of suburban trains between 9-25 and 9-50 a.m. from Tambaram.

The Southern Railway authorities have adjusted the timings of trains including that of the Pallavaram turn back and started running an additional train towards Beach at 9-40 a.m. from February 27 onwards in line with our request. The changed timings have also been published in The Hindu.

On behalf of Tambaram Sanatorium and Chromepet commuters I thank the railway authorities as well as The Hindu.

V. L. Narasimhan,

vice-president,

Chitlapakkam Muthulakshmi Nagar Welfare Assn.,

No streetlights

Sir, — The road in West Mogappair from Wavin bus stop is very dark during night. There are no streetlights on this road for years together. Representations to the authorities have been in vain.

K. R. Kumar,

West Mogappair

Provide us with hospital

Sir, — There is no hospital in Madambakkam village which is open 24 hours. Private practitioners work only in the morning and evening hours and they are not available during Sundays and holidays.

I request the Department of Health Service to open a government hospital in Madambakkam, which will provide round-the-clock service.

M. Krishnaswamy,

Madambakkam.

Need for bus shelter

Sir, — A temporary bus shelter should be provided at the recently shifted bus stop outside the Metrowater storage station on Lake Area I Main Road. Bus route numbers 47A, 9, 10, 25, 25G, 17C, 17D, 17E, 17K, (17A, 17B, 17L, 17M, etc) have been diverted because of repair work in one half of Valluvar Kottam High Road. For smooth movement of vehicles particularly during peak hours, the debris on Lake Area I Main Road should be removed immediately and the area should be properly surfaced.

Eswaran,

Vadapalani.

Bank service

Sir, — The Pammal Branch of Indian Overseas Bank, which has been serving its customers by working on Sundays, has suddenly decided not to work on Sundays.

Customers who came on April 3, 2005 (Sunday) to the branch were disappointed and shocked to find out that the bank would not work on Sundays.

On behalf of the affected customers, I request the authorities to review the decision.

N. Ramachandran,

Polichalur

Automatic

traffic signal

Sir, — The traffic at the junction of L.B. Road and First Avenue Sastri Nagar, near Adyar Telephone Exchange has increased manifold in recent months. The lone traffic policeman is not able to cope with the heavy traffic at this point, particularly during peak hours.

It is time the authorities installed an automatic traffic signal at this busy junction. A pedestrian crossing may also be provided here to help school children and old people. Early action will be welcomed by the public.

P.V. Srinivasan,

Sastri Nagar

Death trap

Sir, — Arunachalam Road in Saligramam near "Food World", "Sobha Kalyanamandam" and "Apollo Clinic & Pharmacy" has become a death trap. It is a narrow road, but vehicles are plying at high speed posing a danger especially to senior citizens, children and others crossing the road. A speed breaker in the area is badly needed. The Chennai Traffic Police, Saligramam area should look into this as a matter of priority.

B.S. Manian,

Saligramam

Lack of buses

Sir, — Maxworth Nagar, a residential colony, about one and a half kms from Porur-Kundrathur Road lacks bus services, a police station, post office and medical facilities. To get to a post office or the police station one has to walk at least two kms. There are no doctors, nursing homes, a park or proper shopping complex Maxworth Nagar comprising phase I, II, III and IV. We have wide roads, street lights, underground drainage system and piped drinking water, but not notwithstanding this, the colony languishes for lack of proper commuting facilities. A road is being laid (75% completed) from Moulivakkam side on the Porur-Kundrathur Road side to connect Maxworth Nagar. There is ample space near the Maxworth site office, which has been specifically earmarked for a bus terminus. A bus is already plying between Saidapet and Porur via Kolapakkam (bus No. 54B) at a frequency of one every hour, but this is irregular. The residents of Maxworth Nagar implore the authorities to set up a regular bus terminus and start running buses.

Chandra V. Mouli,

Kolapakkam

Adyar signal

bus stop

Sir, — MTC buses bound for Besant Nagar and Tiravanmiyur seldom stop at the bus stop allotted in front of TNSC Bank on Sardar Patel Road i.e. Adyar signal bus stop. Instead, they stop in front of Andhra Bank, which is situated two buildings away. This puts passengers to a lot of inconvenience. The buses stop haphazardly, affecting flow of vehicular traffic coming from the service road i.e. 1st Main Road, Gandhinagar as well as the vehicles passing through busy Sardar Patel Road towards Adyar signal.

I request the MTC authorities to erect a prominent bus stop board -- replacing the existing board -- and provide a shelter near TNSC Bank for the benefit of commuters. They should also strictly instruct the MTC drivers to stop the buses near TNSC Bank and not in front of Andhra Bank. The traffic police authorities can erect a few barricades and ensure that the buses halt at the designated stop.

P.K. Sankar,

Adyar

Neglected hall

Sir, — The Railway Kalyana Mandapam, which is located in a spacious site adjacent to Konnur High Road, at Ayanavaram, remains neglected by the Divisional Railway authorities for several years now. Lack of proper amenities like drinking water, kitchen, toilet, electrical fittings and furniture etc. adds to the woes of the public, which celebrates various functions in the hall (RKM/PWQ).

We would like the Railway Administration to take steps to improve the Kalyanamandapam to bring it on par with the well-maintained Railway Kalyana Mandapams (RKM) in Perambur & Egmore Station in Chennai Division.

K. Ramadoss,

Ayanavaram

Unmanned level crossings

Sir, — Accidents at the unmanned level crossings are on the increase. The Railways suggestion that the crossings be permanently closed is no answer. It would be better if the panchayats concerned take up manning these points and create jobs for Employment Guarantee Scheme. The employees will be that of the Panchayat and not Railways.

K. Balachandran,

Chennai

Metre gauge terminal

Sir, — Since the Railways clearly informed that Tambaram is not the 3rd Terminal, it is time to shift the Metre gauge Terminal from Tambaram to Villupuram. By doing this we will have two lines between Chennai and Villupuram to increase passenger Traffic.

P.S. Subramanian,

Nungambakkam

Reservation form

Sir, — The ticket reservation form is available for free of cost in the Central Railway Station for the benefit of public, as it is free the public is not using it properly, they pick up a bunch of form even though they need only one and throw away the remaining. To avoid the wastage the Railways can issue atleast 2 forms for 25 paise and this is also not too costly for the poor. By doing this Railways can also earn a handsome money which can be used for some useful purposes and also can avoid wasting economic resource. "There should not be free lunch" for anybody. This idea can be amended all over the country in important Railway stations before the summer vacation starts this year.

B. Vivekanand,

Kilpauk

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