The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : North Chennai residents want civic projects carried out quickly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 17, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

North Chennai residents want civic projects carried out quickly

Swahilya

Stalin's announcement in Assembly welcomed

NEGLECTED NORTH: Cyclists and pedestrians at a level crossing near Stanley Hospital.

CHENNAI : The Government's announcement of a multi-crore package for improving amenities in north Chennai has, predictably, been welcomed by residents of areas seen as neglected for several decades.

The residents hope that projects such as the Perambur flyover, the much needed overbridges or underpasses to cross the heavily congested railway gates would all be completed soon.

Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin had announced in the Assembly that North Chennai would get a package of Rs. 217 crore for various improvement works, and providing amenities.

Residents of Perambur, who have been suffering because the flyover was left half built, have received the news of the commencement of work on the flyover with cheer. The facility, estimated to cost Rs. 21 crore, is expected to be completed in an year's time at an additional cost of Rs. 5 to 6 crore because of the delay, the Minister said.

Other projects

Other projects announced: a road over bridge at the Kathivakkam-Cochrane Basin Road, as well as road under bridges at Korukkupet, and M.C. Road Level Crossing; improvement of the Kodungaiyur dumping ground by periodic compacting and construction of a proper approach road; and a compost plant at the Kodungaiyur dumping yard.

The largest and the oldest slaughterhouse in the city at Perambur will be modernised with a proper effluent treatment mechanism by the Corporation of Chennai. Tenders have been invited for the consultancy services to provide design and estimates. The construction work, at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 crore, will commence in the current year. These are as far as the announcement of the Minister goes.

Residents also point to some issues that require attention. Dr. S. Jayachandran of Royapuram said that chikungunya has been prevalent in North Chennai for the past four months because of poor sanitary and hygienic conditions. The drainage system is very old and is not able to keep pace with the increase in population and congestion, he said.

Alongside improving roads conditions and bringing in efficiency in garbage clearance, the people of the area should be sensitised on the need for hygienic waste disposal, he said.

A. Tamil Mani, the Royapuram Exnora Youth-wing president, also stressed health and pollution issues in North Chennai. Its Organising Secretary A.V.D. Atchu says the closed public health centres should be opened. "Traffic is very heavy and the proposal not to allow heavy vehicles in certain areas during the peak hours is not being implemented strictly," he said. The proposed subways and over bridges should be built quickly to solve the crisis.

"Buses of the worst condition are plying in North Chennai," he said.

Efforts have to be taken to rectify the storm water drain problem in Vyasarpadi and Perambur areas. Unannounced power failures have become a thing to stay for North Chennai residents, he said.

Apart from the day-to-day civic issues, one of the major problems affecting North Chennai is the erosion along the coastline leading to Ennore and pollution caused by coal and iron-ore dust handling at the Madras Port, they said.

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