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

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reader's Mail

Neglect of historical buildings

The news item "Fire ravages Gandhi Illam'' on last Monday is shocking. The report further stated that this building, which is 100 years old and located in Government Estate, Chennai is in a dilapidated condition. It has to be asked how the authorities concerned have for years together allowed the sheer neglect of historical buildings, especially the present one located in the heart of city.

Kothandaraman,
Velachery

Increase the

frequency of buses

Bus passengers from Thiru Vi Ka Nagar bus depot to Vadapalani are being put to great hardship because of the infrequent bus services on the No. 37B route. Now even the few number of buses operated on this route, has been reduced and the situation during rush hours is miserable, with the public unable to reach their offices/ schools/ colleges in time.

The transport authorities must increase the frequency of buses on Route 37B in the interests of the travelling public.

Salu Jose,
Perambur

Streetlights

not working

The streetlights on Dr. Radhakrishnan Road Fourth Street are not functioning for past one month. The street is moreover most uneven. At night, senior citizens using the street have to struggle hard not to fall because of the darkness and the unevenness of the road. They also find it difficult to unlock their gates at night for want of light. The Corporation has to act quickly and restore the functioning of the lights.

K.N. Narayana Pillai,
Mylapore

Traffic chaos at Velachery junction

Vehicular traffic near the Velachery junction is becoming more and more chaotic. There are neither traffic policeman nor traffic signals at the junction to regulate the traffic. Pedestrians are finding it extremely difficult to cross the road, as there is a continuous flow of vehicular traffic all the time from all the sides. Also, a police booth should be provided in Velachery.

K. Pradeep,
Mogappair

Install name boards in Sastri Nagar

It is more than a decade since Sastri Nagar became a well-developed area. But still the important roads in the locality such as First Avenue, First Main Road and Mahatma Gandhi Road, do not have signboards at both the ends. People find it difficult to locate these roads. The Corporation should provide road names without further delay.

P. V. Srinivasan,
Sastri Nagar

Shift bus stops in Chromepet

The Chromepet GST Road stretch from Thiruneermalai Road Junction to T.B. Sanatorium is a highly accident-prone area. Despite the opening of a separate traffic division, road accidents have not come down. One of the causes for this is the crowded bus stops in the narrow GST Road. Further, most of the pedestrian crossing paths are very close to these bus stops. The traffic police have failed to study the traffic congestion in these points. The MIT Flyover has become a nightmare for the motorists and two wheelers as traffic markings are totally absent on the bridge.

We appeal to the City Police Commissioner to talk to the MTC to re-locate the bus stops in Chromepet in the interest of safety of the public.

V. Santhanam,
president,
Chromepet New Colony Residents & Welfare Society

Post more staff in post offices

The Postal communique, announcing cash delivery to the residences of seniors and invalids, having postal savings accounts, is really a boon. The tariff of Rs. 25/- for home delivery is quite reasonable and this exemplary action is worthy of emulation by all State and private banks. The new procedure involves filling up a form by the account holder, in person. When I went to the Annanagar Main Post Office, there was a long queue, and it would have taken about five hours to get one's turn.

Unable to stand in the queue, I met the Assistant Post Master Ms. Anbu Mani, who helped me immediately to complete all the formalities, including cash payment along with a computer print out, on compassionate grounds, as I am an elderly citizen with frail health. In order to overcome the problem, I appeal to authorities to post additional manpower, with separate counters. Also, open branches at Mogappair, Kadhiravan Colony and three other locations.

Arcot Eswaran,
president, Annanagar Citizens' Association

Check fleecing

auto drivers

It is about a month since the newly elected party came to power in Tamil Nadu and it is time they took some steps in the right direction in regulating auto fares. They would be doing a great good to the people who voted them to power by enforcing strict discipline among the rapacious auto drivers.

In Karnataka, every auto has information such as driver's/owner's name address, licence number, RTO details and photograph, laminated and affixed behind the driver's seat. Also a printed `fare card' is available which shows the current fare corresponding to the actual fare metered (meters are yet to be upgraded). As an alternative, at least a card showing the fare corresponding to the distance travelled is also welcome. Will the concerned authorities act in this matter quickly?

Meena Khapali,
T.Nagar

Provide direct

bus service

Thousands of residents of Kilkattalai, Madipakkam and Nanganallur have to get to Velachery or Guindy to board buses to CMBT, Koyambedu, due to absence of a direct bus service. I suggest that the route no. 51N, plying between T.Nagar and Moovarasampet very infrequently due to the poor patronage, can be operated between Kilkattalai and CMBT via Madipakkam, Moovarasampet and Nanganallur.

Will the MTC authorities consider the suggestion?

M.V. Saranath,
Ullagaram

Prompt action by BSNL staff

This is to appreciate the quick service rendered by BSNL staff. I am a resident of north T. Nagar. My telephone went out of order on the morning of June 12. I contacted the exchange at Thirumurthy St at 10-30 a.m. To my surprise the staff came to my house at 12 in the noon, and the fault was rectified and new telephone provided. It was excellent work by the staff of BSNL at Tirumurthy Street exchange at T.Nagar.

S.S. Viswanathan,
T.Nagar

Ticket holder denied accommodation

I traveled by the Yercaud Express from Salem on June 12. I had a confirmed II class seat in Coach No. S-11 (seat no. 25).

I boarded the train at Salem at 10-15 p.m. and found coach S-11 occupied by other unreserved passengers. The coach did not have the seat numbers mentioned. The passengers who had already occupied the seats were reluctant to move and when I told them I had reserved accommodation they just abused me.

I met all the three TTE's of sleeper class who listened patiently and accepted my problem but were unable to help me because there was no TTE for S-10 (Sleeper) & S-11 (Second Class).

This was my plight despite having reserved accommodation.

Anand Prakash,
T.Nagar

Regulate lorry traffic

The road from St. Thomas Mount Railway Station to Medavakkam Junction and the traffic has increased considerably. Plenty of schoolchildren use this road and people from adjacent areas like Madipakkam, Nanganallur, pass through this road. During the peak hours between 8-00 a.m. to 10-00 a.m. the traffic goes completely haywire.

Lorry traffic -- dipper lorries, water tanker and other goods carriers -- are also using this road, and road safety has taken a backseat.

May I suggest that the traffic authorities take some initiative to stop the movement of lorries and tankers during the peak hours from 8-00 a.m. to 10-00 a.m.

This will help the schoolchildren, working women and others to use the road without safety worries.

Also police personnel must be deputed in all junctions like Eachangadu 200 ft. Road, Keelkattalai, Holy Family School, Madipakkam Koot Road, Vanuvampet, to ensure road rules are followed.

V. Bhavani,
Nanmangalam

A road in urgent need of repair

The School Road connecting RK Mutt Road and Tiruvengadam Street, Mandaveli, is in very poor shape.

Though the RK Mutt Road was re-laid and blacktopped some time agao, School Road has not been attended to by the authorities so far.

Two big schools viz., Harishree Vidyalaya and Raja Muthiah Higher Secondary School are located here.

The school children find it very difficult to walk on School Road. With the schools having re-opened after vacations, the authorities should act quickly to re-lay/blacktop the road and end the sufferings of the students and the public.

S. Kailasam,
Mandaveli

Raw deal for Kerala rail passengers

The train numbers 6601/6602 — Mangalore Mail, train numbers 6627/6628 — West Coast Express, 6041/6042 — Alleppey Express are being operated with dirty carriages for some time now. It is not uncommon to see rodents and cockroaches in the compartments.

The Southern Railways earns a huge amount of revenue from Kerala bound trains but does not bother to even keep the coaches of the Kerala-bound trains clean.

Even the AC coaches and first class coaches are not kept clean. The pillows and bed sheets given in the airconditioned coaches are torn and unclean. The woollen bed sheets supplied are stinking and it is clear they have not been washed for weeks, if not months.

Why are the trains to Kerala neglected like this? The coaches in Banglore and Mysore trains, which are part of the new Railway, the South Western Railway, are very clean and tidy and the AC coaches are fitted with velvet curtains and boast clean toilets with coach indicator and berth indicator lamps.

G. Abyvarghese,
president,

Senthil Nagar Youth & Resident's Welfare Association

Kolathur

Decongest the road

The Koot Road Junction in Madipakkam and Puzhuthivakkam is always congested with heavy traffic, ranging from two-wheelers to cars to huge tankers.

The Madipakkam main road, though is a busy thoroughfare leading to many big schools with large student population, is lined up on both sides with all sorts of shops and commercial establishments.

It is a problem to even walk through this road especially in the mornings and evenings; imagine the plight of the school children who use this road to reach their schools and return home.

In the mornings, a large group of masons and their assistants gather opposite a wedding hall waiting for prospective builders who hire them on a daily basis.

It would be better if this road is made one-way for vehicles to enter in and go towards Velachery to prevent over crowding on this not very broad road. The Sabari Salai next to HDFC Bank may be used for vehicles coming out of Madipakkam and Velachery.

S. Rajkumar,
Madipakkam

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