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

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Readers' Mail

Change railway station name

As I was coming out of Tambaram Sanatorium railway station one day recently I saw a family of 6 members of whom two are kids with heavy luggage. They asked me the platform on which the train "Pallavan Express" would arrive. I told them they would have to take the train at Tambaram. Hardly 20 minutes remained for the arrival of the train at Tambaram. Without waiting for an EMU, the group prudently rushed in 2 autorickshaws, as they had to climb the overbridge at Tambaram also.

I understood that they had come there (Sanatorium) from Saidapet by an EMU and the moment they had seen the word Tambaram (Sanatorium) on the signboard had got down. This is the second such group I had met which mistook "Sanatorium" for Tambaram.

To avoid this confusion, the Railways can remove the word "Tambaram" from "Tambaram Sanatorium" or change the name of the station as "Chitlapakkam". A request to this effect is pending with railways.

A.V. Krishnamoorthy,

Chitlapakkam

* * *

Reputed college going to seed

The teacher's college in Saidapet is a very old institution, which has produced eminent teachers in the last several decades. The teachers trained in the college have in turn produced individuals of mettle. Now the condition of this great institution is pitiable.

At the time of celebrating teacher's day the teachers' associations or federations should consider taking up the task of cleaning, repairing and renovating the buildings and beautifying the campus. An endowment can be created to maintain the campus and buildings as an heritage mark in memory of great teachers who have taught many of us. If the teachers' association take up this task the Rotarians of whom I am one, will be willing to help such a cause.

R. Narasimhan,

T.Nagar

* * *

Thoughtful police

I reside in Muthusamy Street, Muthamizh Nagar, Pammal. Last week I had parked my two-wheeler in front of my flat but outside the compound at night. The following morning the vehicle was missing. I went to nearby Sankara Nagar police station, Pammal to make a complaint. After verifying all the original records pertaining to the vehicle the police showed my vehicle.

The police said while patrolling in and around Pammal during night they found my vehicle parked on the road without being side-locked. As there was no response from any inmate for half an hour to their knocking at the gate, the police had taken vehicle to the station. One of the reasons for this was to prevent asocial elements making use of the vehicle to commit a crime. The police officials politely advised me not to be careless and handed over my vehicle without any hassle.

R. Lakshminarayanan,

Pammal

* * *

Manholes not properly covered

Thangal street (which is narrow) in Virugambakkam has two manholes which are not properly covered for the last few years. The manholes pose a threat to the public during rainy season when the whole street becomes flooded, making the manholes invisible. The lids are partially open, posing a danger to the unwary pedestrian.

The lorries that ferry vegetables to Koyambedu market use this road as a short cut, making things worse.

Traffic becomes chaotic because vehicles are forced to ply at a snail's pace.

K. Ravi

Virugambakkam

* * *

TNEB thanked

The residents of Murugappa Reddy street, Murugappa Reddy lane and Kanniah Chetty lane have been greatly relieved of the low-voltage problem following the installation of a transformer at a strategic location. We thank the Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineer, Ambattur, Assistant Divisional Engineer and other staff of the TNEB, Ambattur, for taking immediate steps to redress our grievance.

R. Geetha,

Ambattur

* * *

Beware of women pickpockets

The frequency of buses on M9 route from T.Nagar to A.G.S. colony Adambakkam is low and thus the buses are always overcrowded. Taking advantage of this, pickpockets operate in gangs on this route and their loot is substantial.

Recently a middle aged woman after getting down at Brindhavan Nagar, Adambakkam on her way back from T.Nagar found a watch and cell phone missing from her shoulder bag. The thief had opened the zip of the shoulder bag and taken away the small purse kept inside in which were kept the costly articles.

The woman was in tears and said there were only girls around her in the bus and they all boarded at Saidapet.

It is believed that these girls posing as office-goers travel in a bus in a group. They will put their `pallu' or `dupatta' over the victims' articles as if by accident and steal under the cover of the same while the other members keep watch.

S. Ganapathy,

Adambakkam

* * *

Needless restriction

For years, in Saidapet, after celebrating Vinayagar Chadhurthi in the houses, the small clay idols used to be immersed in the Karaneeswarar temple tank. But this year, the temple authorities, to prevent the public from continuing this practice, had locked the gates. However, many urchins jumped the gates and collected the idols from the public through the gaps on the grill gates for a price and immersed hundreds of idols.

This temple is under H.R. & C.E. and the authorities could have opened the gates to facilitate immersion religiously or at least posted a watchman to prevent illegal immersion.

V. R. Sundaram,

Saidapet west

* * *

Clarification on LPG refill

When I telephoned on Sept. 3 to book for delivery of a LPG refill cylinder, I was told by my distributor that they had received a Government order not to deliver cylinders before the expiry of 30 days from the date of last supply.

Since I do not remember reading any news item in your paper to the above effect, I would like to know whether such a restriction has been imposed by the Government on the domestic consumers who do not have any supply of kerosene.

There does not seem to be any shortage of LPG as the Government is persuading all autorickshaws to convert from petrol to LPG.

Domestic consumers do not get kerosene. Drinking water needs to be boiled these days to purify it. Winter season and festivals are fast approaching.

All these will mean greater LPG use and the Government should ensure adequate supply since this is fuel used for cooking.

Leela Viswanathan,

T.Nagar

* * *

What a contrast

Our family has just returned from a short trip to Bangalore. What a refreshing contrast the auto drivers in that city are compared to their counterparts in Chennai! They will take you from any point to any point for a minimum fare of Rs. 10 and they flag down the meter (which is not tampered with) as soon as you board their autos.

They do not ask you any questions.

They give back what is due to you if you have given them extra fare. When will our `Singara Chennai' ever boast of such civic consciousness in our errant, incorrigible auto drivers?

K. P. Mahalingam,

Kilpauk

* * *

Revise bus timings

We the people of East J.J. Nagar mostly depend on bus services, 27N and M27N.

Previously there were 2 services of 27N one from Mandaveli depot and another from West Anna Nagar depot. Now both of them are not being operated. M27N which used to leave at 6-20 a.m. was convenient to those who were going to Kasturibai Gandhi hospital and the 8-40 a.m. bus was convenient to those who were going to the Secretariat. Now M27N bus timings have been changed to 7-30 a.m. and 11-30 a.m. This is not convenient to the public.

We request the transport authorities to reorganise the timings as 6-20 a.m. and 8-40 a.m.

S. A. Amirjan,

J.J. Nagar

* * *

Railway reply

With reference to the letter `Replace FOBs with subways' that appeared in the "Reader's Mail" column of August 8, Mr. S. Krishnamoorthy, Chief Public Relations Officer, Southern Railway writes.

Subways are provided wherever they are technically feasible and maintainable.

Some subways provided in the city area post security problems for users, especially at night and water logging during monsoon affecting the use. Overbridges do not have these drawbacks.

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