The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Reader's Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 23, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reader's Mail

Proper water supply

remains a dream

We had the opportunity of participating in many `open house' sessions conducted by CMWSSB and impressed upon officials the need to have a separate feeder main to ensure proper piped supply to areas between Porteous Road and Tagore Nagar, comprising wards 55 and 57, at Ayanavaram.

Despite repeated assurances over the years, the facility has not been provided. We hope the authorities would concede the long-pending demand of the residents.

K. Ramadoss,

President

Exnora Innovators' Club, Ayanavaram

Alert bus conductor

I am a student of Stella Maris College and travel by bus from Mandaveli. On January 18 I boarded route 29K (CMBT-Mandaveli) around 1130 a.m. and got a window seat in the ladies section. The bus was not very crowded.

At Woodlands stop a lady with an infant boarded and took the seat next to mine. At the VM Street stop she got down. As the bus was about to leave, the conductor (bus No. TN 01 N 2376) asked me whether I had lost my purse. On checking my handbag I was shocked to find it open and the cell phone missing.

The conductor ran behind the woman, who had got down along with another lady. I too joined him. Asked whether they had taken the cell phone, the duo denied. The conductor insisted on checking them and caught hold of one of them while I stopped the other. To my astonishment the phone fell off the infant's shawl. I was relieved to get back my possession even as the women fled.

I appreciate the alertness shown by the conductor and would like to place on record my appreciation to MTC authorities.

Sweta Ramachandran,

Mandaveli

Welcome move

Residents of North Villivakkam are grateful to the Railway Ministry and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for laying the foundation stone for a flyover at the west railway gate on January 18. It will fulfil a long-felt need.

The residents also hope that unauthorised structures on Red Hills Road would be removed, thereby restoring its original width, and ensuring free flow of traffic.

S. Padmanabha Iyer,

Kolathur

Manholes menace

In and around Valasarawakkam, manholes of the underground drainage are either uncovered or damaged. Polythene bags, water bottles, tender coconut shells and other waste are dumped through the manholes, leading to sewage water logging. It is feared that well water in the area may have been polluted. It is time the authorities repaired the manholes and ensured their proper maintenance.

T. Manoharan,

Valasarawakkam

Avoid circuitous route

Apropos R. Sampath's letter under the caption `Nanganallur needs better bus services.' The following points also merit scrutiny by MTC authorities.

On routes 66 N and N 70, the buses cover Guindy, Kathipara areas on their way to Poonnamallee and Tambaram. This is a circuitous route. Easier access to Meenambakkam exists via the Palavanthangal subway. The roundabout journey naturally dissuades commuters from using the services.

Nanganallur has a large number of residents who were earlier staying at T.Nagar. These people still maintain contact with their relatives and friends in T. Nagar. Therefore, running a bus service between T.Nagar and Nanganallur will be a lucrative proposition.

S. Krishnamoorthy,

Nanganallur

Footboards need

urgent attention

The footboards of most of the MTC buses are at a high level. Many old passengers and differently abled people face difficulties while boarding the vehicles and also getting down. While the problem has been rectified in some buses, I request the authorities concerned to extend this to the whole fleet.

Sabarinath,

Jawahar Nagar

Divert the flow of

Ayapakkam eri

During the recent rain there was heavy water logging due to surplus flow in the Ayapakkam eri, which also developed breaches. This has happened many times in the past. A permanent solution would be to divert the flow.

One suggestion is to dig a 60-foot canal along the new Chennai Bye Pass 2 to carry the surplus water to the Cooum. This can be done by the NHAI. Encroachments along the eri should be removed immediately. This will ensure that the lake is not breached by antisocial elements.

Another issue relates to the water supply and drainage system installed by the housing board that has been handed over to the Nolambur panchayat which does not have the infrastructure to handle and maintain it. The pump houses are in a bad shape.

We request the authorities, including the Tiruvallur Collector, to hand over the system to the CMWSSB. Any additional charges required could be levied from the residents.

R. Suresh

Mogappair West

Waive rent arrears

In the year 1985, the Moore Market was destroyed in a fire. In 1998, the Corporation allotted shops in Lily Pond Shopping Complex to the Moore Market merchants. As the complex was not ideal for doing business, most of them did not set up shop. In 2004, the Corporation issued notice to the allottees to pay rent arrears from the date of allotment.

I request the Chief Minister to intervene and initiate necessary steps to waive the arrears, allow the allottees to transfer the ownership and reduce the rent.

P. S. Sankaranarayanan,

Thiruvottiyur

Easy access for beggars

One wonders how beggars gain entry into fast trains such as Guruvayur and Vaigai expresses. Their movement along the aisle inconveniences passengers. The beggars do not `discriminate' between reserved and unreserved compartments.

In addition, a number of passengers holding ordinary tickets enter the reserved compartments and travel long distances, causing discomfort to those who had reserved their berths.

The officials concerned should put an end to the nuisance.

N. Ramachandran

Pozhichalur

Residents denied

flood relief

Chromepet New Colony, particularly areas adjoining Chromepet Government Hospital, was one of the worst affected areas during the recent rain. Most of the residents here belong to the middle class.

Initially, the Government announced that those living in thatched houses alone were eligible for flood relief. We did not beg for relief, though the floodwaters had inundated our colony. Over 150 residents lost their electronic items including television sets.

Realising the seriousness of the situation during the third spell of rain, the Chief Minister declared that all flood-hit residents would get relief. But Kancheepuram district authorities did not fulfil the promise. Till date, the promised relief has not reached the residents. Will the Collector explain why we were denied relief?

V. Santhanam

Chromepet New Colony RWS

Provide better roads

During the recent rain, AVM Nagar of Adhanoor adjoining Urappakkam was the worst hit and resembled a lake, making it difficult for the residents to move out of their houses. No roads have been laid in this area for the past 10 years.

We request the authorities that instead of providing relief in cash and kind (which has not been done yet) they could re-lay the road. This will ensure that during next rain havoc, the residents will at least have a good road to walk on.

A. Pradeep

Guduvancherry

Solution to

end traffic chaos

Covering the 4 km distance between Vanagaram and Nerkundram has become an ordeal due to the battered condition of the road. Millions of litres of petrol and manhours are being wasted.

There exists a road (originally tarred) on the north bank of the Cooum River from Vanagaram to Golden Eagle Theatre off Nerkundram. But its condition is even worse. A practical solution to resolve the traffic menace would be to repair and widen this road and develop it to for use by heavy vehicles, construct a high level bridge across the Cooum near the Onion mandi, upgrade the bridge near Golden Theatre and provide proper entry points on P.H. Road for vehicles coming from these bridges.

D.R. Kiran,

Natesa Nagar

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