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

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 20, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reader's Mail

Timely action by TNEB officials

During July-August of 2005 there were frequent power failures, especially at night in Subramanian Nagar at Rangarajapuram. The residents of the area met the Assistant Executive Engineer, West Mambalam-I Section and asked him to do something about the recurring power cuts. The AEE (West Mambalam-I) and EE (T.Nagar) were good enough to visit our area immediately and with the help of the EB staff set about rectifying the problem. The official also promised that he would arrange for the construction of an additional transformer to meet the extra load in our area. The S.E. whom we met in the Valluvar Kottam office during a grievance committee meeting was also very accommodative and promised to extend full support to the local AEE who was always ready and willing to help out the consumers. With the approval by the Superintending Engineer (Central) and the Chairman of TNEB, he erected the transformer in our area Subramanian Nagar and saw to it that the power failures did not recur.

We are indeed very grateful to the A.E.E., West Mambalam-I Section and for the other officials of Electricity Board for the commendable work.

S. Gopi

Mambalam Civic Exnora Organiser and

Residents of Subramanian Nagar

Subway is in bad shape

The subway near the exit of the Beach railway station is in bad shape. There is no proper lighting with the result that the senior citizens and other passengers face difficulties at night. Further, people use the floor as a spittoon, as passengers going to Kalikambal and Kachaliswarar temples and High Court can testify. The drainage manhole cover has also not been fitted properly. We request the authorities to address the problems.

S. Sabarinath

Jawaharnagar

Long wait for photo ID card

The Election Commission has stated that 95 per cent of the numbers for the issue of elector's photo identity cards had been covered and that the programme would continue till the third week of April. However, there have been instances in which photo identity cards issued during previous years and returned to the election officials as early as in April 1999 for rectification of errors in names have not been returned. In this connection, I would like to point out that my photo identity card was handed over to the election officials at General Cariappa's School at Dasarathapuram, Saligramam, vide ackowledgement no. TNAAA ID 0369419 of 25-4-99. If the Election Commission insists that voting can be done only on production of the photo ID Card, I will be deprived of my right to vote. It is my request that the Election Commission issue necessary instructions for the issue of a duplicate ID cards without any delay.

P.S.Krishnan

Saligramam

Poor amenities at railway station

Chromepet Railway Station is one of the busiest suburban stations on the Beach-Tambaram section, with thousands of commuters using the station. But it lacks even the most basic amenities. For one, it lacks a proper toilet facility. Though the railways have constructed a toilet, it has not been opened to the public. Secondly the approach road on the eastern side of the station is very narrow. The lights on the road alongside the station are very dim. There is no name board on the GST Road indicating "Chromepet Railway Station". The railways have not constructed a pucca compound wall on the GST road to prevent public from crossing the track. The GST road entrance to the station has also become very narrow due to encroachment by cycle stands on both the sides. Beggars and stray dogs only add to the problems. Will the Southern Railway look into the above grievances and do the necessary?

V. Santhanam,

Secretary,

The Chromepet Rail Commuters Forum

Compound wall in bad state

The railway track compound wall between Kodambakkam and Mambalam railway stations is in danger of collapsing on both sides: on the one side due to encroachments of slums at Mambalam High Road and on the other because of the many openings made in the compound wall. Last week, a part of the compound wall collapsed on Subramaniyan Nagar main road, near Chakrapani street junction.

People trespassing, crossing and soiling the track, are also a nuisance to the residents. I request the authorities to take the necessary action.

C. Pushpalatha,

West Mambalam

Sewage overflow on PH Road

It is now a common sight to see sewage overflow on the Poonamallee High Road opposite the Nilgiris department, next to the IOC petrol pump.

Sometimes the overflow is so massive that it comes up to the lane leading to our apartment complex from the main road.

I took the trouble of bring the matter to the attention of the Managing Director of CMWSSB at Kilpauk headquarters (2852 9165) a few months ago.

Except acknowledging the message in a courteous way nothing has so far been done about it. Will the CMWSSB do something to permanently stop the overflow by getting to the root of the problem?

C.P.S. Menon,

Poonamallee High Road

Pedestrian subway is needed

Scores of commuters have to cross the road every day on the eastern side of Nungambakkam Railway Station, on their way to offices near the Gemini flyover. But the continuous flow of traffic on the road is a cause of great hardship to such commuters.

If a pedestrian subway is constructed near Loyola College, it would help not only the commuters but also help in solving the traffic hurdles.

P. Swaminatha Krishna,

Chitlapakkam

Street lights not working

The Corporation street lamps at Vedachala Garden, Mandavalli Street, are not working for the past 15 days.

Whenever a complaint is made we get the usual reply of that a complaint has been registered or some times a recorded message saying `the number you have dialled is not in use'.

P.A. Ranganathan,

Mandaveli

Display bus routes in English also

We thank the Metropolitan Transport Corporation for having revived the practice of displaying the route signboards near the side entrance of buses, which had been discontinued for a considerable length of time. However, the signboards are only in Tamil. As many of the commuters in Chennai City and suburbs are non-Tamils, they find it impossible to read the signboards. The MTC should therefore arrange to display the signboards of buses in English also.

J. Manohar Singh

Adambakkam

Appreciation for RTO and staff

I cannot but express my very appreciation and thanks for the courtesy, co-operation and excellent services rendered by the RTO-South and his staff just 2 days ago. On March 13, 2006, I went to the RTO's office, met RTO personally, being instantly invited by him into his chamber, and I told him that I had come to pay the road tax for my car and also renew my driving licence (which was expiring by the middle of May 2006), as I was leaving shortly on a foreign tour for over two months. The courteous RTO smiled and promised to finish both jobs within an hour, which he did with the help of his staff.

I want to add that a friend of mine — V. Murlimohan too had a pleasant experience recently with same RTO and paid his road tax and renewed his driving licence within hours. We, particularly senior citizens, cannot forget such exemplary and service-minded officers and their loyal staff.

C. S. Rao,

Thiruvanmiyur

Provide direct bus service

The travelling public in Ambattur do not have direct bus facilities to Rettai Eri, Kolathur, Thivu-Vi-Ka Nagar, Moolakadai and Vysarpadi. They have to catch at least 3 buses to get to these destinations. I request the MTC authorities to consider the problem and open a new route from Ambattur OT to Vallalar Nagar (Via) the above areas for the benefit of travelling public.

A. Jayakrishnan,

Chennai-82

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