The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Keelkattalai a picture of civic inadequacies

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Monday, Mar 17, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Keelkattalai a picture of civic inadequacies

K. Manikandan

Encroachments, poor lighting, faulty hand pumps and bad roads… the cup of woes overflows

PHOTO: K. Manikandan.

ENCROACHING ON ROADSPACE: The commercial complex at the Keelkattalai junction where the shops have expanded their premises over the limit stipulated by the municipality. —

TAMBARAM: Absence of basic infrastructure is more strikingly evident in Keelkattalai falling under the Pallavaram Municipality, more than in many other urban pockets in the southern suburbs of Chennai.

Poor roads, inadequate lighting, encroachments and hand-pumps that have not been functioning for a long time reflect the conditions in which residents of this suburb have been living. There are two Wards — 14 and 15 — of Pallavaram Municipality in Keelkattalai and members of civic groups said the civic problems were acute.

Bus terminus “miserable”

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation operates buses from Keelkattalai to different parts of Chennai but the condition of the bus terminus here has been miserable for several months now. During heavy rain, the surface of the flooring in the terminus would be ripped off.

Though a contract for installing sodium vapour lamps was finalised in October last, there has been no progress, say residents. It is not possible to provide a bitumen top surface considering the load it has to bear, officials said. As the cost of providing a cement concrete surface was prohibitory, contractors were reluctant to take up the work. The job of installing lamps would be speeded up, officials added.

The main road connecting Keelkattalai with Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road at Pallavaram has been ravaged and motorists find it extremely difficult to use this stretch.

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board is implementing the underground drainage project in the municipality and members of the Federation of Keelkattalai (East and West) Residents Welfare Associations are not happy with restoration works after road digging for laying sewers.

Commercial complex

A massive commercial complex at the Keelkattalai junction was constructed at the cost of Rs. 68 lakh, with a row of shops on the ground floor and a community hall on the first. The shops expanded their premises over the limit stipulated by the municipality. Due to this, vehicles of visitors to the complex are parked on the main road, resulting in traffic problems.

Stating that complaints were already brought to their attention, officials assured that an inspection would be held to ensure that shop-owners did not step outside the earmarked area.

Hand pumps

Several hand pumps have been provided in Keelkattalai and other parts of Pallavaram Municipality to supplement the supply of water made through tankers. Efforts to carry out repair works were left half-way, activists pointed out. The Municipal middle school is dependent on water they borrow from the neighbouring Madipakkam police station premises as the deep borewell sunk inside their premises has not been maintained.

Officials said that in addition to the municipal staff, they had roped in private agencies to carry out repairs on the hand pumps and they would be ready in a couple of weeks.

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