The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Jayalalithaa inspects new-look Chennai

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 17, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Jayalalithaa inspects new-look Chennai

Staff Reporter

Chief Minister takes stock of city projects in progress, inaugurates completed ones It was a day of reckoning for civic officials A dumping ground has become a park and a pot-hole ridden road has given way to cement concrete road

CHENNAI: If civic management is akin to going to school, then the Chennai Corporation and Metrowater Board officials faced their most important test on Friday.

Like students, they had worked hard for three years, executing projects such as the Rs.720-crore New Veeranam Project and giving shape to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's vision for the city through projects such as the Rs.18,000-crore Greater Chennai Development Project and the "Chennai Forever" initiative aimed at beautification and greenery.

Friday was their day of reckoning as Ms. Jayalalithaa went on a whirlwind tour of North and Central Chennai, stopping in between to investigate the progress of works, inaugurating parks, appreciating officials and taking residents' feedback.

The day's events also had the elements of an AIADMK election propaganda: from stage artists dancing to former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran's film songs to signboards praising "Puratchi Thalaivi," to crowds raising slogans thanking their leader for her untiring efforts.

The significance of Ms. Jayalalithaa's visit on Friday can be understood by recalling events that occurred three years ago.

In November 2002, a record rainfall of 35 cm in less than a week had created havoc. The Chief Minister made an aerial survey to assess the damage. She announced projects to improve roads and to prevent flooding. The Corporation was also ordered to desilt major canals and waterways.

While most works are complete, others such as the concretisation of the Valluvar Kottam junction in Nungambakkam are in progress.

These projects have helped government agencies to give a facelift to some areas, especially in North Chennai. The new park at Pulianthope is one such instance. The land was earlier used as a garbage transfer station. These days the park, constructed by the Corporation at a cost of Rs.24 lakhs, is a splendid sight. A sight was so good that Ms.Jayalalithaa asked the legion of photographers trying to get in front of her to move aside to take a better look.

When some of the photographers tripped on plants, she asked them to be more careful as the plants were the most important aspect of the park.

Ms. Jayalalithaa dedicated a 1.3 km-stretch of cement road at Sathiyamoorthy Nagar, laid at a cost of Rs. 5 crores.

She showed a 2002 photograph of a pot hole-ridden stretch to Ministers C. Ponnaiyan and K.P. Anbalagan.

Ms. Jayalalithaa also inaugurated a park on Haddows Road renovated at a cost of Rs. 40 lakhs, artificial waterfalls and a skating rink on the Marina Beach. She dedicated the Nehru Park (renovated at a cost of Rs.40 lakhs) at Kilpauk and the Independence Day Park in Nungambakkam.

In the end, Ms. Jayalalithaa congratulated officials who were involved in the development works.

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