The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Decongest Linghi Chetty Street

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 01, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Decongest Linghi Chetty Street

Over the last few months, it has become very difficult even to enter Linghi Chetty Street from the NSC Bose Road, which is a officially a one way street.

Mobile police patrols are notably absent, allowing vehicles to park as they like; add to this the carts, vans, water supply tricycles and vehicles freely moving the wrong way along the one-way road, and you can imagine the chaos.

The authorities have to remove encroachments and petty shops as also regulate traffic on Linghi Chetty Street if things are to improve.

Ismail Khader Mouideen,
Mannady

* * *

Pleasant surprise from BSNL

I am a customer of BSNL Coimbatore Circle and two weeks back I happened to speak to R. Brahmadathan, CGM, Chennai Telephones, on a live phone-in TV programme in Podigai Channel. I voiced my grievance without any real hope that it would lead to anything. To my great surprise, things did move and move quite fast too! My refund case, pending for more than a year, was settled in two weeks. What was more, there was also a letter from the local PGM expressing regret for the delay. Many thanks to BSNL, Mr. Brahmadathan, CGM and his courteous PR Manager, who has been coordinating the matter all through.

O. Thirupathy,
Coimbatore

* * *

Vacant land used as garbage dump

The vacant land at the end of the Defence Colony Ist Street, Madipakkam poses several problems to the people residing in GK Flats, Anna Street, which is opposite the land. People from Anna Street, Sankaran Street and Gopal Street use this street to reach the Kootroad bus stop. The vacant land is being used as a garbage dump. Carcasses of dogs, crows and other waste matter is dumped here, raising a big stink. It has also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. School children find difficult to get to their schools via this street. I have seen children retching and vomiting in the morning. Besides, there is no street light at the end. People find it hard to cross the street at night. Will the authorities do something about the problem?

B. G. Karthikeyan,
Madipakkam

* * *

Left in lurch by call taxi firm

We recently booked a call taxi to go to Central Station by 9-30 p.m. The booking was done by 10 a.m. The taxi firm gave us a booking numbered 693. But at 8-50 p.m. we got a call from the firm, telling us the taxi would not be coming. There was no sense of regret or remorse but simple message only. When we remonstrated, the call taxi agency curtly said, "you want the vehicle only at 9-30 and you have time to arrange for another one."

The Transport Department or some other Government agency should regulate the call taxis.

S. Rajee,
Alwarpet

* * *

Wrong date on platform ticket

When I went to Central Station on July 17 to send off my brother to Hyderabad by Charminar Exp. scheduled to depart at 18.10, I bought a platform ticket at the counter. On returning from the platform, a checking staff intercepted me and demanded for ticket. I showed the platform ticket, but it carried the date stamp of July 1. The railway employee accused me of showing him an old ticket. I took him to the counter and enquired about the error. After verifying the running serial numbers, it was found that the mistake was theirs. The rail authorities should set right the faulty machine or replace it if necessary in the interest of the general public.

N.N. Chezhian
Mangadu

P.B. Srinivasan,

Adambakkam

Reduced frequency of trains

I would like to bring to the attention of the railway authorities the reduced frequency of trains on the Chennai-Arakonam route during peak hours. The train for Tiruvallur leaves Chennai Central at 6-45 a.m. and the next train for people bound Tiruvallur and beyond is 7-15 a.m., which means a half-hour gap during the peak hour, a time when school and college students, government employees and vendors need to get to their destinations. The TRT train at 7-15 is overloaded, the next train after 7-15 is 7-40 and after 7-40 there is a big gap, with the next train departing at 8-30 a.m. The overcrowding of the compartments is unbelievable. If there is at least a train every 10 minutes, the overcrowding can be overcome and it will be a big help to people going to and beyond Tiruvallur. I request the railway authorities to do the necessary.

S. Sabarinath
Jawahar Nagar

* * *

Doraisamy subway facelift

Doraisamy subway has been given a makeover! The authorities concerned deserve our appreciation! May I request them to attend to a few other things too: The underbridge is dark, even during the day. Adequate lighting will set this right. Rubbish is dumped in the space beneath the bridge. Since the roof of the bridge is not very high, pedestrians find it tricky walking through. Also, the parapet wall on both the sides of the bridge (parallel to the railway tracks) has to be raised. Now, people just jump over the walls to catch the trains in a hurry, risking their lives!

Will the authorities concerned look into these matters?

B.N. Narasimha Murthy,
West Mambalam

* * *

Covered shelter at bus terminus

The space allotted for parking of vehicles at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus is yet to be provided with a shelter. The vehicles are exposed to direct sunlight and rains resulting in fading of paint and damage to the vehicles.

Also, the allotted space is filled and levelled with red sand, which leaves the vehicles parked there covered in a film of red dust. During the monsoons, the entire lot turns slushy. The parking space needs to be cemented/ black topped immediately. Will the authorities act on this?

V. Krishnakumaran,
Sembium, Perambur

* * *

Bus name boards

The name board painted in the MTC buses notifying the starting and destination point often leads to confusion among passengers. The most affected are the passengers from other states who are put to lot of inconvenience and hardship in checking the destination of the buses. The recent arrangements made by the MTC authorities routing all the buses through the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus is a welcome step, but sparks confusion among the commuters.

The MTC authorities should only specify the destination and the stops in between, as is being done in mofussil buses.

P. Ramankutty,
Sembium, Perambur

* * *

Remembering Mr. Ethiraj

On the occasion of Ethiraj College Founders Day Celebration, I recall his one sentence argument in a murder case in Madras High Court.

I was sub inspector, Thirumayam then and secured a conviction of death sentence for a young, unmarried van driver in IAF hailing from Devakottai. On a month's leave, he shot dead 3 children and his widowed sister at Kolathupatti on Deepavali day in 1958 and surrendered at the police station with the gun and gave a 4-page statement admitting his guilt. After arresting him, a case was filed against him.

The case came up on appeal before High Court judges, the Hon. Somasundaram and Hon. Ramaswamy Gounder. I was assisting the public prosecutor Mr. P. Kailasam, and Mr. Ethiraj was the defence lawyer. In those days, the judges were thoroughly familiar with the records of the case before they took it for trial.

Mr. Ethiraj rose and simply said, "Your Honour, I want to save the neck of my client." The senior judge asked the PP what he had to say and the PP turned to me and I nodded.

In few minutes, the senior judge Mr. Somasundaram, reduced the death sentence to one of life sentence. While coming out of the Court Hall, Mr. Ethiraj patted me on the back affectionately. Ever since that day, till his death, I was his ardent admirer, calling on him very often.

What a genius in his profession he was.

S. Nagappan,
Sakthi Nagar

* * *

CWSSB clarification

P. Swaminathan, Public Relations Manager clarifies that

the sewer overflow at Varadhammal Garden III Street was attended to on July 6 itself and there is no sewer overflow at present.

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