CHENNAI: Some 400 development works have become non-starters at Ambattur municipality over the last two years now, because of the frequent transfers of municipal commissioners, says municipal chairman K. Rukmangathan.

Projects including blacktopping of roads, a drinking water pipeline, construction of a stormwater drain and an underground drainage system, have either been left incomplete, or not started.

Tenders were called for and work orders issued, but civic works have been pending because of the transfers and contractors' resistance citing increased cost of materials.

Administration hiccups

Mr. Rukmangathan said, however, that it was planned take up emergency works such as repairing damage to roads caused by laying of pipes under the underground drainage project in nine wards, including Ram Nagar, Venkatapuram and northern parts of Ambattur.

Construction of stormwater drains in Mogappair and Gnanamurthy Nagar and blacktopping of six badly damaged roads in Mogappair and Anna Nagar extension, including Park Road, at a cost of Rs. 6 crore are also planned.

However, several councillors have questioned their feasibility, with only two months left before the local body elections.

Absence of streetlights

Earlier, councillors highlighted the poor maintenance of streetlights at a council meeting held on Friday. They said residents of several areas of Ambattur had complained about the lack of adequate street lighting.

A Congress councillor, Thiripurasundari, pointed out that children who used the roads during late hours frequently got hurt. S. Balakumaran, a DMK councillor, complained that the pipeline-laying project in Padi were incomplete.

The municipal chairman said that the issues would be looked into. The possibility of re-tendering projects was being worked out, he said.

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