Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Readers' Mail

Unmotorable road

Sir, — This is with reference to the new item in The Hindu (dated March 25) `Road laying target will be achieved by March'. The Sri Ramakrishna Mutt Road, Mylapore, is one of the most important thoroughfares in the city. It is in a bad condition for the past three months, causing inconvenience to vehicle-users and pedestrians.

On account of delayed excavation work that is going on, the MTC buses have all been diverted, causing untold suffering to commuters who have to walk a considerable distance.

Further, as the intersection of the South Mada Street, Sri R.K. Mutt Road and Sri Venkatesa Agraharam Street (Mylapore) is busy, schoolchildren and the elderly find it difficult to cross. Installation of an automatic signal at this point is long overdue.

T. M. Sundararaman,

Mylapore

It must be exclusive

Sir, — Sometime ago, the railways introduced exclusive queues for senior citizens at various computerized reservation centres. This system was helpful to them. But of late women have also been allowed in the same queue. This is highly improper since one can find a handful of infirm elders waiting along with a large number of young and energetic women.

Because of summer holidays, reservation centres are overcrowded. Hence exclusive queues for senior citizens must be restored.

S. Balagandadharan,

Thiruvanmiyur

Not comfortable

Sir, — In the reservation counters for rail tickets there are plastic chairs for those waiting in the queue. When the queue moves the individuals have to keep moving from seat to seat. An individual has to endure this process till he reaches the counter. Getting up and sitting 10-15 times, especially for senior citizens is an ordeal. A simple wooden bench with backrest will enable people to keep changing position without getting up.

V. Santhanagopalan,

West Mambalam

Need more counters

Sir, — The I.C.F. computerized reservation centre has only one full-fledged reservation counter and the other one is open only between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The rush among the railway employees can be reduced if an exclusive counter for pass holders is opened at I.C.F. administrative office.

There is no supervision, and the staff spends most of the time counting the money collected. Will the Railway authorities look into this and arrange for three or four counters?

G. Abyvarghese,

president, Senthil Nagar Residents' Welfare Assn., Kolathur

Water supply

Sir, — For more than six months, residents in `H' Block, Anna Nagar, have not received Metrowater supply through pipes, for which charges are paid regularly. Strangely, some areas in Annanagar and Mylapore are getting regular supply through pipes. Under these circumstances, residents here have been forced to buy water from private suppliers at a high cost. We appeal to Metrowater authorities, to release piped water, at least twice a week.

Arcot Easwaran,

president, Anna Nagar Citizens' Assn.

Unjustified

Sir, — I took a Demand Draft, payable at Tirumala in favour of `Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam' for Rs. 960 for the `Suprabada Seva' from the State Bank of India, Nanganallur, as only the SBI and Vijaya Bank have branches at Tirumala.

Since the seva was not available, my DD was returned by the TTD. I had applied for its cancellation to the SBI, Nanganallur. But when I took the DD, I was charged Rs. 30 as commission. When it had to be cancelled I was asked to pay again Rs. 50. Is there any justification for the SBI to collect Rs. 50 when the DD had not been presented at Tirumala?

T.T. Varada Rajan,

Nanganallur

Unfair, unreasonable

Sir, — I read a news report regarding refund of deposit before March 31 as announced by a higher official of Chennai Telephones.

I had surrendered my telephone on October 6, 2003. I had submitted the entire requirements for refund of deposit, in original on November 11, 2003. When I went to their office in the first week of April, I was promised that my deposit would be released before April 15. When the refund was not received until April 20, I again approached the Accounts Officer. I was shocked to learn that my papers had been lost. I was asked to give photocopies of the papers available with me, which was given on the spot. I had told them to retain the deposit and convert the landline to a post-paid mobile phone. The request was turned down stating both the services are different. In fact, the mobile phone would have been more useful for a person who travels frequently.

Pravin A. Shah,

Ambattur

Unsavoury idea

Sir, — The report, `Chennai Telephones to engage private agents to recover dues' (The Hindu, May 5) is terrifying. The practice of private agents, hired by private sector banks, mobile phone companies and financial institutions and adopting unlawful and illegal methods to collect the dues from their customers, are well known. The BSNL, being a public sector undertaking should drop the idea.

J. Michael Visuvasam,

Little Mount

Voter ID card

Sir, — I am a resident of Velachery. I have fulfilled the formalities for getting my voter identity card last year. But now I know I will not be getting it. The same thing has happened to a number of my friends and also to my parents. My parents have completed the formalities twice but still have not got their ID card.

Pankaj Kumar Sinha,

Velachery

No concern for safety

Sir, — Not a day passes without some news or the other appearing in papers of construction workers and coolies engaged in sewage clearance, desilting of tanks, repairs of public convenience getting killed or grievously injured in and around the city. The Corporation authorities have done precious little to provide safety arrangements for risky jobs. The families of victims receive only meagre or no compensation.

M. Rangaswamy,

Korattur

Speedbreaker needed

Sir, — A speedbreaker with proper specification and standard may be provided at the junction of 7th and 11th Cross Streets near `Ram Lok Apartments' Sastri Nagar. For at this point the traffic is heavy and accidents have become frequent. A signboard is also essential here to caution the speeding drivers at this junction.

P. V. Srinivasan

Sastri Nagar

Plea to BSNL

Sir, — Scores of viewers and listeners participate in TV/ radio programmes over telephone. This special phone services are provided by the BSNL to the broadcasting units in such a way that other telephone companies' customers are not able to participate in the live programmes. Hence the BSNL may immediately permit all telephone companies' customers to participate and continue the maintenance of these special services as usual.

M. Asokan,

K. K. Nagar

Exorbitant

Sir, — In all the cinema theatres in the city for two-wheeler parking they collect usually Rs. 5, and in Koyambedu complex they collect Rs. 7. But in Satyam complex they collect Rs. 10 for two-wheeler parking.

K. Ravi,

Thirunagar

Enforcement matters

Sir, — I read in April 15 issue of your newspaper about speed guns being used by traffic police to regulate speed of vehicles, during peak traffic hours. It just makes me wonder if this regulation applies to water tankers and MTC buses. I go to work from T.Nagar to Nelson Manickam Road every day around 9-15 a.m.

This is the peak time for MTC buses plying on routes 147 and 47. There is a line-up of these buses holding up traffic, double parking at bus stops or running at breakneck speed to out beat one another. With this kind of driving, they terrorise other road users and send them running for cover. If safety of road users is the criterion then enforcement has to be effective.

M. Money,

T.Nagar

Lessen suffering

Sir, — Because of road laying in Erikarai Road, buses plying via Kakkan bridge, have started going via St. Thomas Mount RS, causing inconvenience to West Velachery and Adambakkam residents. We request the restoration of at least 50 per cent of buses that were plying via Kakkan Bridge after completion of Alandur drainage works. Until this, and bus connectivity from AGs colony end to Vijay Nagar come into effect, at least two more buses each in routes 9M and 51P may be added.

R. Ganesan,

West Velachery

Wait for I-T return

Sir, — I am a senior citizen aged 77. I am not a regular pensioner, but I am getting ex-gratia of Rs. 2,040 a month. As I am owning a house with a plinth area of more than 1000 sq.ft., I have been filing income-tax return regularly. My PAN no. is: AEX-PK-1372E.

For the year April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003, I have filed my income-tax return on May 14, 2003 in form 2-D to the Income Tax Officer XIII(4) Range, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Shafi Muhammed Building, Chennai-600006. As per the above return, I have to get a refund of Rs. 1,481 I had been to the Income-tax office personally and requested the expeditious disposal of the return. But the officer concerned told me that there were several such cases pending from the year 2001-02 and as such preference cannot be given for want of staff.

K. Kanniappan,

Anna Nagar (W).

Unauthorised travel

Sir, — In suburban trains from Tambaram to Beach, even those railway staff who have no eligibility to travel by first class, do so.

The TTEs never take any action against the offenders.

First class season ticket holders pay four times of second-class season ticket fare.

The Southern Railway should display in each compartment that even railway employees should travel in I class only with valid ticket. It should hire people from an outside agency to book those travelling without proper tickets.

S. V. Kumar,

T.Nagar

Use of airhorns

Sir, — We are living in C.I.T. Nagar first main road. We cannot sleep at night because of indiscriminate use of air-horns by heavy vehicles at the C.I.T. Nagar first main road-Anna Salai intersection area. The disturbance has increased since the installation of the signal. We do not know the reason for the usage of the air horn despite the fact that its use is banned.

We also found that the metrowater lorries plying inside the city are also equipped with air-horns.

P. Valliappan,

Nandanam

Friend of the public

Sir, — It is indeed heartening to know from The Hindu (dated April 14) that Mr. R. Nataraj, Commissioner of Police, Chennai met a mechanic even on a Sunday and took his complaint. He then swiftly initiated action by ordering an enquiry and punished the erring policemen.

This type of action by high-ranking police officials will not only boost the image of Tamil Nadu Police but also revive the faith of the public that the police will help them in times of distress.

N. Gopalan,

Alwarpet

Holiday fortnight

Sir, — Like Deposit mobilisation week (fortnight) Safety week (fortnight) Tamil Nadu observed `Holiday fortnight' recently.

All government offices, banks and industrial establishments remained closed on April 9 (Good Friday), 10 (Second Saturday) and 11 (Sunday). After a working day on April 12, they remained closed on 13th on account of Tamil New Year day and on 14th for Ambedkar birth anniversary.

These offices were again shut on 17th and 18th April being Saturday and Sunday.

K. S. Srinivasan,

Tiruvanmiyur

Remove obstacles

Sir, — On the 33-feet wide Cul-de-sac Palat Sankaran Road, Mahalingapuram, wide space has been left at the western end of the road for vehicles to make a turn.

But a disused telephone post and an electricity junction box set up side by side at the northwest end of the road nullify the purpose.

Several complaints notwithstanding, these obstructions have not been removed.

V.E. Venkataramani,

Mahalingapuram

Dog menace

Sir, — Stray dog menace has been rampant near the Public Health Centre in West Mambalam.

The non-availability of anti-rabies serum is worrying residents of nearby flats. Will the civic authorities work fast to put an end to the menace?

S. Varadarajan,

West Mambalam

Publicise existence

Sir, — I happened to visit `Mukta Sthala', a centre recently established with amenities to conduct obsequies for departed souls.

This is similar to a centre called `Gnanavapi' at T.Nagar. But access to this centre was not easy as it was at Ullagaram near Nanganallur with no bus stop in the neighbourhood.

However, there were specialities worth mentioning in this centre, such as the feeding and cooking facilities for exclusive use to each allottee, unlike other centres where such services are common for all allottees. There were several rooms lying vacant.

Enquiries revealed that the centre was not receiving adequate publicity, which impedes it receiving public patronage.

Quilon S. Krishnamoorthy,

Nanganallur

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