Date:23/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/23/stories/2008092359080400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Road cutting work sets residents feeling hamstrung

R.Srikanth

“TNEB given permission since it is an emergency work”

— Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

SETTING IT RIGHT: BSNL Chennai telephones workers repairing the damaged telephone cables on Venkatarangam Pillai Street, Triplicane, on Monday.

CHENNAI: A road cut programme taken up by Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to lay underground cable on Venkatarangam Pillai Street, Triplicane, has proved to be a hindrance to the residents as it restricted vehicle movement.

Residents in the area said that the work, which has been in progress for a fortnight now, led to snapping of telephone cables during the digging work. On Monday, BSNL Chennai Telephones workers were engaged in rectifying the problem on the road.

The Chennai Corporation imposed a temporary ban on road cuts till the end of monsoon with effect from September 15.

A TNEB official said that an old underground cable serving the Government Estate had to be replaced immediately. With the monsoon round the corner, the department will not be able to undertake the work.

Hence, a special permission from the Chennai Corporation was sought for the work to lay the cable for a stretch of 4.5 km from the Government Estate to Mylapore covering T.P. Koil Street, Besant Road, Irusappa Street, Dr. Natesan Road and Lloyds Road.

The work would be completed at the earliest, the official added. On the permission given to the TNEB in the light of the Corporation’s ban, a Corporation official said it was allowed on a special basis as it was an emergency work. “Moreover, the Corporation officials are monitoring the road cut closely and have been taking steps to restore the dug-up road immediately after the completion of the work,” he added.