The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Ambattur residents resent delay in completion of civic works

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Ambattur residents resent delay in completion of civic works

K. Lakshmi

Officials attribute the problem to lack of manpower

A HARDSHIP: A pile of stone slabs, meant for use in the construction of pavement on Padi Kuppam Road, is hindering the free flow of traffic. — Photo: K.Pichumani

CHENNAI : The delay in completion of several civic works being implemented by the Ambattur Municipality is causing concern to residents of Padi Kuppam Road.

A case in point is the project pertaining to the road development with stone slabs meant for the work piled up on the stretch in Anna Nagar West for the past one month, the residents said. The stones heaped on the road caused hindrance to the traffic, they added.

Listing other civic works, which had either stopped or slowed down, they said the stormwater drain project and work on the pavement on the Padi Kuppam Road have stopped mid-way. The authorities cited a lack of manpower with the contractor as the reason.

The blacktopping of some parts of the Park Road in Anna Nagar Western Extension has also been delayed by manpower shortage. The residents also complain of the slow progress of the first phase of underground drainage project in 19 wards.

Meanwhile, proposals seeking approval for 150 new civic works are going to be placed before the forthcoming council meeting of the Ambattur Municipality. A municipal official said the projects worth Rs.4.5 crore included laying of tar and cement roads, and upgrading of parks and crematoria. The meeting is scheduled for next week. Another official said Rs.10 lakh was to be allotted for every arterial road under the control of the municipality. The roads are in Mogappair East and West, Anna Nagar West and Menambedu.

The officials said bids were received last week for blacktopping roads including the Padi Kuppam Road, Golden Colony Road, Babu Nagar Main Road, Rail Nagar Main Road and Jaswant Nagar in Mogappair. At Menambedu, Reddiar Road and Maduraiveeran Road are to be upgraded. Besides stormwater drain projects worth Rs.60 lakh at Padi and Bhagiyathammal Nagar, the local body also plans to improve the infrastructure of four parks including Bharathidasan Park in Mogappair West and three crematoria.

Admitting that the underground drainage projects in 19 wards have been delayed, a municipal official said measures were being initiated to tide over the manpower shortage. The local body also proposes to blacklist the contractors responsible for the delay in implementation of the various civic works. The penal action could even involve cancellation of their contracts, he added.

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