Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 13, 2007
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Thursday, Dec 13, 2007 ePaper |
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Tamil Nadu
IN DISCUSSION: Residents and elected representatives in southern suburbs participating in a meeting organised by TNUDF on urban transportation, in Chromepet recently. TAMBARAM: Massive infrastructure projects that could improve traffic conditions in the southern suburbs have been proposed by the Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund (TNUDF). A financial intermediary of the State government, the TNUDF had earlier prepared City Corporate Plans for municipalities in the suburban areas. The latest project is the ‘Consultancy Services to Identify and Design Urban Transport Interventions in the Southern Suburbs of Chennai.’ A presentation of the salient features of the project, prepared by Wilbur Smith Associates for the TNUDF, was made in Chromepet recently to inform elected representatives and chiefs of Alandur, Pallavaram and Tambaram Municipalities and citizens’ groups about the proposals and to get their feedback. The TNUDF staff and representatives from the private consultancy firm told the gathering that the objective of the study was to identify priority road investments and implement improved traffic management measures in these municipalities. As roads had not grown in proportion to the growth in the number of vehicles, traffic congestion had become the order of the day, resulting in an increased travel time and a dip in efficiency. Facilities for pedestrians were neglected and remained largely un-addressed, even during attempts to increase road width. Medians were scarce even though some roads were wide enough and road signs were inadequate, they said. The gathering was informed about some of the projects proposed in the three urban local bodies pertaining to improving road connectivity and creation of new projects such as subways and road overbridges to link arterial roads with the urban areas. Some of the key proposals include improving connectivity between Velachery Main Road and Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road; connecting interior areas of Pallavaram with the Thoraipakkam Radial Road and similar works on Medavakkam Main Road. At the end of the presentation, the gathering was given an opportunity to give their feedback and members of citizens groups lost no time to voice their opinion. They sought to know why the TNUDF had come to get feedback from the people after the draft report was prepared. “If the project is meant for improving the traffic conditions to help the people, our opinions should have been sought initially and not now after the report is prepared,” said A. Chandrashekaran, president of the Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavaram Municipality. No clear planResidents also said that some of the salient features mentioned during the presentation were obvious. While welcoming the “grandiose and massive projects” that would be taken up in the future, residents said they were let down as there were no clear action plan on how to improve the present road and traffic conditions. On creating new links between Velachery Main Road and Vandalur – Kelambakkam Road, residents of Tambaram pointed out that there were already links between these two roads at four points and creating new ones would only be a waste of taxpayers’ money. To a question on the funding component for the proposed projects, the TNUDF said the money would be from various sources, including the funds of the Municipalities.
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