Tamil Nadu

Reader's Mail -- Load-shedding timings

The great festival of ‘Navaratri’, which started on October 1, will conclude on October 9. There will be an exhibition of dolls (kolu) in almost every Hindu household. Since it is a women’s festival, there will be an exchange of visits by women to one another in the evenings.

Now the Electricity Board in our area is resorting to load-shedding operation, not at a regular schedule but at different timings, inconveniencing the residents.

It is, therefore, requested that at least, during the festival of ‘Navaratri’ for about 10 days, from load-shedding is resorted to in the forenoon and evening hours be spared from darkness.

K.V.Sivaswamy,

Chromepet

The TNEB resorts to power cut on 1st Cross Street, Nanganallur and other adjoining areas between 7. 30 am and 9 am, while areas such as T. Nagar have it conveniently from 10. 30 am to 12 noon.

Housewives, office-goers, school and college boys and girls and people of all age groups normally keep themselves busy only in the morning hours. When electrical appliances remain inoperative owing to power cut, none could reach their respective destinations. If the TNEB makes their power cut schedule for Nanganallur, keeping in view the valuable time of morning hours, on a par with other regions, no resident would feel handicapped.

T. Jayanthi,

Nanganallur

The Arakkonam-Chennai suburban train services were disrupted frequently, owing to sudden snapping of overhead cable wire and failure of signals, subjecting the commuters to inconvenience.

The stopping of trains at various unspecified places had become the order of the day. The railway authorities concerned are requested to ensure an uninterrupted travel on suburban trains.

N.B.S. Manian,

Manavala Nagar

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation is contemplating introduction of circular route services in select areas in th city.

In order to cater to needs of commuters residing on the outskirts of Chennai, it is requested that such services be available to residents of suburbs like Nanganallur, a temple town. A route, originating from Nanganallur, running through Market, Palavanthangal subway, Kathipara (Guindy), Ashok Pillar, Panagal Park, T. Nagar BS, Saidapet, Guindy, Cement Road, and Thillaiganganagar subway, and ending at Nanganallur in one direction and another one in the reverse direction, may be introduced.

Q.S. Krishnamoorthy,

Nanganallur

While the government’s proposal to ban smoking in public places is laudable, it should also ban smoking scenes in Tamil TV serials watched daily by thousands of viewers including children.

This may go a long way in preventing smoking.

At least, it would not breed fresh smokers.

P.V. Srinivasan,

Sastri Nagar

It is sad to say that though quite a lot of new MTC buses have been introduced in the city, the authorities have not paid any attention to the need for changing the 11 G bus. All old buses are running, only on this route.

But officials concerned say that there is not much collection on this route. In fact, the bus is always running to its complement throughout the day. I travel regularly in this bus, standing most of the time.

The condition of the seats is quite horrible and really gives a lot of problems even to people who are having normal health. It would be highly appreciated if the authorities introduce some new buses on the 11 G route. Other routes such as 17D, 12G, 37D have new buses. Why step-motherly treatment for 11 G users alone?

Bhanumathi Krishnan,

K.K. Nagar

The Saravana Stores fire on 1-9-2008 should be a grim warning to all; general traders, textile, paper and timber merchants, newspaper offices, multi-storeyed offices, multiplexes, malls, wedding halls and all oil installations.

The following precautionary steps will surely help: (I) Create escape routes (II) Store water for fire-fighting (III) Keep off LPG cylinders from premises and (IV) Do not rule out fire accidents.

Aaron David A.M.,

Royapettah

The road from the Tambaram Sanatorium Railway Station leading to Poondy Bazaar via Bharathamatha Street is in a bad shape for quite sometime. Though the width of the road is around 50 feet, the tarred portion covers only 10 feet at the centre with potholes throughout. Thousands of vehicles pass through this road every day and the vehicle users are finding it extremely difficult to negotiate this stretch.

The authorities concerned are requested to address this problem on a priority basis and at least some patch-up work of plugging these potholes requires to be done urgently till re-laying of the road is taken up.

V. Sundaresan,

Chromepet

To the east of Adambakkam, there is a popular hamlet Puzhithivakkam, where a full-fledged bus terminus has been got up, with the funds generated from the Constituency Development Fund of the Member of Parliament. Unfortunately, the terminus has been idling for some time now, presumably for want of ‘inauguration’.

There is a danger of its misuse in course of time.

I would like to request the State Transport Department to take over the terminus and put it to use so that it may emerge as an important terminal like Vijaya Nagar from where buses go to various parts of the city.

M. Tyagarajan,

Adambakkam

I went to Porur post-office on 25-9-08. I saw boards hanging over counter with the following words inscribed: “Q” for Senior Citizens and “Q” for others.

Thanks to the postal authorities for arranging a separate queue for senior citizens.

V. Ramarao,

Porur

The all important 122-km. main line, Villupuram–Mayiladuthurai section costing Rs. 200 crore with 27 major and 320 minor bridges was taken up for gauge conversion on December 1, 2006.

The work was first entrusted to the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and subsequently the Tata Consultancy Limited (TCL) and the Project Management Consultancy. The railways had mobilised modern machinery besides updating flash butt welding technology, deploying hydraulic drilling machinery imported from Italy to expedite the work at the Pennar, Gadilam, Vettar and Coleroon major bridges. The entire work should have been completed by 2007. However, the work is yet to be completed. The officials have not taken steps to either avert the inordinate delay or complete the job in time . The Minister of State of Railways has now announced that the Villupuram-Cuddalore stretch would be opened by October end.

I request the railways to run an express train for 281 km from Puducherry to Salem via Villupuram, Cuddalore, Neyveli and Vriddhachalam to be named after Subramanya Bharathi . It would be a boon to passengers bound for Mayiladuthurai and helpful to those travelling to Villupuram, Cuddalore and Neyveli.

The government of Tamil Nadu insisted on gauge conversion along the Cuddalore-Vriddhachalam-Salem stretch a decade ago and deposited Rs. 100 crore to handle coal from Cuddalore port to Mettur. S. Gopalan

Maraimalai Nagar

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu