The Hindu : Pallavaram residents want early completion of MIT bridge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 05, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Pallavaram residents want early completion of MIT bridge

By K.Manikandan

CHENNAI MARCH 4. Delay in completion of MIT bridge, lack of garbage yard and irregular water supply were the common grievances aired by Pallavaram residents during an interaction held recently.

The residents pointed out to the Chairman that while regular taxpayers were being pulled up by the Municipality, certain sections were given permission to go ahead with construction of buildings that deviated from the norms.

A resident of Balaji Nagar at Chromepet said the municipality had denied permission to several house owners when they applied for expansion. However, they were surprised to notice a flat promoter constructing an apartment complex very close to the road. "Has the Municipality given its nod to the flat promoter who has violated the norms", a resident questioned.

Several other residents also sought an explanation from the authorities on the steps they had taken to tackle the problem of water shortage, which they feared would be compounded during the summer. Residents were also critical of the authorities for dumping garbage on either side of the 20-ft Pallavaram-Thuraipakkam Road and burning it.

The Chairman, E. Dhan Singh, said they were left with no alternative but to dump the garbage, as they did not have a dumping yard. They were taking steps towards that direction. "However we are continuing to clear the streets of garbage and the situation has improved compared to the past", he remarked.

On the plans to tackle the water shortage, he said the Council had decided to pay Rs 1.54 crores to the TWAD Board, which assured the local body to supply 20 lakh litres of Palar water daily. Residents also complained that the local body was showing very little interest in the completion of the MIT bridge.

Meanwhile, V. Santhanam, president of the Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavaram Municipality, feared the contractor of the MIT bridge was forced to suspend work and that construction activity had come to a standstill. Recalling that despite two months elapsing after the Kancheepuram district administration arrived at compensation for landowners, they were yet to receive the amount.

The Highways department is yet to hand over certain sketches to the contractor, he pointed out and feared that further work could not be taken up for at least another two months. Unlike in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, State Ministers, local MP and MLAs and even senior officials here hardly visited the bridges under construction to monitor their progress, he said and appealed to the Highways Secretary to take immediate steps to expedite the construction of the bridge.

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