The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reporter's Diary

Haphazard parking

Share autos, autorickshaws and even MTC buses find it convenient to pick up passengers at night by parking on the stretch of Poonamallee High Road opposite the Central Railway station.

The line-up starts in front of the General Hospital entrance, which is regularly used by ambulances and other vehicles rushing patients to the casualty ward.

The line of share autos and autorickshaws extends to the sharp curve leading to the Stanley viaduct.

The road width is considerably reduced, especially as one takes the overbridge, as most of the operators park their vehicles outside the area barricaded specifically to prevent illegal parking.

Ignorant helpline

A resident of 12th avenue Anna Nagar, had an interesting brush with the helpline operated for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Department recently.

After a power black out at his home, he called the helpline number 155333.

He was told that a malfunctioning substation was being repaired. Even three hours later, the problem continued and the reply to was the same.

He then called the central helpline number from where he was directed to contact the local EB office.

A local lineman set the problem right and partial power supply was restored.

A day later the resident called the helpline.

He insisted on speaking to the supervisor who provided a complaint reference number (3080589).

The supervisor maintained that the substation was still being serviced.

Ill-maintained buses

The "oil and gas conservation fortnight" is being observed, but there is wastage of precious fuel, apparently due to lack of maintenance.

The other day, the engine of a bus on route number 47-A (ICF - Besantnagar, ADG 180) was running even when the bus was parked at the ICF terminus. When the bus was in motion, the bones of passengers rattled. To add to their agony, the vehicle broke down after crossing the Taylors Road bus stop. The driver's efforts to restart the engine failed. Ultimately, passengers had to push the bus along for some distance to make the engine run again.

Commuter-unfriendly?

While on the subject of buses, a woman commuter at Egmore, the other day, was struggling to board the bus (Route No.17, Fleet No. VPH 262, Reg. No. TN 01-N 2950), the last step on the footboard was too high for her. Holding an infant in her hand she made several attempts to board the bus. While she was finding it difficult to board the bus, the bus conductor's harshness in urging her to board quickly was hurt the feelings of other commuters in the bus.

Neither the bus nor the conductor can be called customer-friendly.

Vivek's wit

Their relationship is really thick, if one goes by the happenings at a recent function. The occasion was the release of a postage stamp on the late AV. Meiyappan, producer and studio owner. The DMK chief M. Karunanidhi was accompanied by Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for Communication and I.T.

The two sat and conferred among themselves closely.

Mr. Maran was seen enjoying the function, and kept laughing especially when actor Vivek said the Union Minister had the looks of an actor.

Mr. Karunanidhi wanted to say something to Vivek. It was Mr.Maran who walked up to the actor, conferred with him and came back with a reply to Mr. Karunanidhi.

In election mode

Election "mood" seems to have set in among the government officials and staff, particularly the District Election and the Information and Publicity wings.

While an Information and Publicity wing official lamented that their efforts to elicit details about electoral rolls and related subjects drew a blank from the Election wing, some of the press releases spoke volumes of the "interest" shown by them to disseminate information relating to various welfare schemes.

Xerox copies of reports on government functions (prepared 24 hours after their conclusion) were made "indecipherable" and circulated to newspaper offices.

Further, compact discs on Government welfare schemes were played every Monday at the Collectorate using a player and a television without "noise." The reason: the treasury and grievance cell staff are distracted if the discs were audible.

Contributions by

Sandhya Soman,

R. Sujatha,

K.T. Sangameswaran,

T. Madhavan,

S.R. Ashok Kumar and

V. Venkatasubramanian (in Kancheepuram).

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail