Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Pension arrears

The normal dues arising out of the issue of the G.O. 579 dated September 15, 2006 for government pensioners have not yet been sanctioned for Electricity Board pensioners.

I have repeatedly pointed out (I was an Officer in charge of Pensions in the Electricity) that there are no separate rules for the EB pensioners and that all pensionary benefits, given to State government pensioners, should be extended to Electricity Board pensioners also.

Unfortunately this position is ignored by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

I do not know why these Electricity Board pensioners are being treated so shabbily. I request the TNEB to find ways and means to settle their legitimate dues.

T. Manickavelu,

Sastri Nagar

It is gratifying to note that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation has increased the number of buses on the 17D, 11G and M18M routes. But there are no direct buses to Koyambedu, Anna Nagar, and Villiwakkam (via) Munusamy Road, West K.K. Nagar. Commuters have either go to Ashok Pillar or to Vadapalani to catch these buses.The vegetable vendors purchase vegetables in the Koyambedu market and sell them at double rates in the K.K. Nagar area.

So, if every alternate 5E bus plying from Besant Nagar to Vadapalani is extended to Koyambedu from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the morning and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the evening, the commuters from West K.K. Nagar can go to Koyambedu to purchase vegetables directly and also board mofussil buses in the Koyambedu bus stand without boarding two city buses from Munusamy Road.

S. Srinivasan,

West K.K. Nagar

It is customary to give 5-rupee coins along with ‘thampoolam’ during the Navarathri celebrations.

When I recently contacted State Bank of India, Nanganallur, where I have a saving banks account, asking for 5-rupee coins or notes for a value of Rs. 200 during my withdrawals, I learnt that they were running short of 10-rupee notes and 5-rupee notes or coins. Traders are also expressing short supply of notes.

It is hoped that the Reserve Bank of India will kindly make a note of the supply of notes and coins of lower denominations and arrange for replenishments suitably in the interest of general public, traders and banking customers.

Q.S. Krishnamurthy,

Nanganallur

The high-voltage electrical wire running parallel to the parapet wall of the foot overbridge at the St. Thomas Mount railway station is so close that unwary commuters may come into contact with it while climbing up or down. The authorities concerned are, therefore, requested to put the wire a little away.

N.B.S. Manian,

Manavalanagar

I request the MTC to consider the following suggestions regarding the Annanagar terminus and the bus depot:

1) There must be more 7F services during rush hour.

2) 7F cut services to Central/Vepery are not at all required, since 7 series cross both stops.

3) 47D Express buses should halt at the Anna Nagar West stop so that college-goers will benefit since no college bus is available for them, at least in the morning and evening rush hour.

G. Padmanabhan,

West Anna Nagar

In response to my letter published in this column (October 8), the Aavin authorities restored early supply of Aavin milk in the mornings to the customers in Sastri Nagar, Adyar.

I would like to thank the ‘Aavin’ authorities for their quick response.

P.V. Srinivasan,

Sastri Nagar

I am a resident of Perungalathur for over five years and I travel between Perungalathur and Mayiladuthurai frequently. While returning from Mayiladuthurai in government buses, the passengers are not permitted to alight at Perungalathur and have to travel upto Tambaram and take another bus in the reverse direction to reach destination.

On several occasions, there were heated exchanges between passengers and the crew on this score.

During odd hours, the aged people, patients and women suffer much. The transport authorities should give instructions to the crew to let people get down in areas where they reside.

Sampath,

Perungalathur

The Tambaram-Beach meter gauge suburban electric system was unique in the railways.

The EMUs sported a pleasant look with silver paint like aeroplanes. Even the engine-hauled rush-hour trains had their wooden coaches painted in silver colour to keep up uniformity. Later, in 1970s Italian Breda coaches were added and they too bore a silver outlook. Now the system has been changed to the broad gauge. Coaches (units) with different outlook and seating arrangements are run with varying colours.

Recently the railways have let out the exterior space of these units to outsiders for displaying advertisements.

Consequently one unit consisting of nine cars exhibits an advertisement on both the sides covering the entire space as if the elite communities have time to go through it.

Added to this, another nine-car unit is on the run with a horrifying red colour advertisement. While the railways have every right to adopt ways and means to augment their earning, let them stipulate some pleasant colours to appease the commuters.

M.A. Nelson,

Adambakkam

There is an immense need to regulate the increasing vehicle population on the MTH Road from Dunlop to Ambattur OT because heavy vehicles such as lorries, containers and many buses were diverted from Chennai City to Ambattur by city traffic police. At the same time, Ambattur is also becoming a major town with an increasing vehicle population.

Since MTH Road is a National Highway, the condition of the road and size is small and it has become a killer zone which is prone to accidents.

Many schools are functioning near this area. School-going children and workers run a great risk of crossing the road near Canara Bank to T.I. School. Being a National Highway, the road certainly deserves greater attention from the PWD.

Efforts should be made to set right the traffic situation and hence, I request the highway authorities to broaden the road from Dunlop to Ambattur O.T.

K. Ravikumar,

Ambattur

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