The Hindu : Pattabiram bus terminus a non-starter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Pattabiram bus terminus a non-starter

By Karthik Subramanian

CHENNAI FEB. 25. There is simmering discontent among residents of Pattabiram and nearby localities falling under the Avadi Municipality over an inexplicable delay in the construction of a bus terminus despite funds allotted for the scheme by the local MP.

The only hitch seems to be evicting some encroachers on a poramboke land in front of "Chitarai Kulam", the site identified for setting up the terminus, after filling it up with debris. It has been more than 10 months since the municipality passed a resolution to acquire the 5.78-acre land for the terminus and the Sriperumbudur MP, A. Krishnaswamy, has even increased his allotment for the project from the initial Rs. 10 lakhs to Rs. 20 lakhs.

But for the reasons best known to the administrators, the project has been a non-starter. For over three lakh residents of the locality, it has been a long-standing demand that simply refuses to take shape as the pond remains in a state of misuse with sewage flowing in from the nearby encroacher colonies. The entire water body has been covered with hyacinth and does not even serve as a source of potable water.

Ever since 1991, welfare associations in the region have been pressing for a terminus in the area. The area, vastly developed over the last three decades, has more than 2 lakh commuters, who travel to Chennai for their work every day. The nearest bus terminus is eight kilometres away at Avadi. Though Pattabiram has a suburban railway station, the limited frequency during peak hours has made the residents turn to the MTC bus services as a more viable option.

In fact, it was the welfare associations which identified the land for development of terminus.

Irked by the official apathy towards the project, the Federation of Welfare Associations of Pattabiram last year moved the High Court with a public interest litigation to evict the encroachers and expedite the project.

The encroachments are easily visible to almost anybody who travels on MTH Road, where the road width suddenly narrows near the Pattabiram market area.

As a flashpoint of all their woes and to show their solidarity, more than 2,000 local residents observed a day-long fast on February 2, with the participation of the Sriperumbudur MP as well as the Avadi municipal chairman, S.M.Nasser.

On Monday, representatives of the welfare associations met the Thiruvallur Collector to expedite the project by ordering the Revenue department to remove the encroachments.

Meanwhile, a fear psychosis seems to grip some of the colonies close to "Thamarai kulam" though not at the site itself. Most of the hut dwellers fear that when the Revenue officials take up a drive to remove the encroachments, it would remain to just the area earmarked for the bus terminus.

"The hut is all we have. Why can they not construct the terminus elsewhere," asked one of the women when presspersons visited the site.

The welfare association representatives have a newfound optimism now.

"We have represented the case with the Collector and can only hope for the best now," says convener of the welfare associations, Roy Rozario.

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