Residents of Park Town are not the ones to sit back and wait for the civic body to provide services and amenities. They have sprung into action, clearing empty plots of land, deploying security personnel and even employing their own garbage collectors.
Park Town, part of ward 3 (consisting of Anaiyur and P and T Nagar) has many problems. The area is located to the right of a police check post and is part of a newly added ward of Madurai Corporation.
Previously a panchayat, the area continues to lack basic facilities like water and sanitation. There are about 200 houses and 50 empty plots, according to S.M. Ganesan, president of Park Town Residents’ Welfare Association. Out of total of six streets, Park Town streets 1,4 and 6 are particularly in poor condition as they have derelict roads.
According to R. Swamimalai, a resident of Park Town 1st street, roads were last laid in 2003. The streets are pockmarked with gaping potholes. During the monsoon season, it is not uncommon to see flooded streets. Empty plots of land become swimming pools for children. It takes up to three or four days for the water to drain, he says.
There are no water supply pipes in the area. Residents have to walk at least three kilometres to reach the nearest water source. They all buy water instead or install borewells.
“The Corporation used to collect garbage only once in about three or four days. We decided to take the matter in our own hands and deployed two garbage tricycles. Each cycle has two employees who go around collecting waste everyday. Residents pay ₹200 for this service every month to the association,” says Mr. Ganesan.
“Why do we have to pay tax for garbage collection when no one from the Corporation visits our area,” asks K. Jayanthi, the owner of a shop. Members of the association deploy their own earthmovers to clear empty plots of land. The streets become quickly dense with creepers and shrubs. Since they serve as hideout spots for anti-social elements, residents are doubly careful, they say. Theft is common in the area. Many members have visited the Commissioner’s office in the past but have returned unsuccessfully.
“We now have three watchmen of our own. They patrol the streets regularly at night and have been given two streets each. They receive a salary of ₹8,000,” says Mr. Ganesan.
Another resident, M.S. Pandian says that the streets are particularly unsafe for women, even during broad daylight. “We hear of cases where women have been verbally harassed right outside their houses. I personally shelled out money to have earthmovers to clean up shrubs to prevent any untoward incident. Only if we take matters into our own hands are we able to bring in some change. No local body has aided us,” he says.
Mr. Ganesan says he has met different Corporation Commissioners several times in the past. Petitions have not resulted in any tangible change.
“If we have the funds, we’ll lay roads too. But it is expensive,” he says.
A senior member from the Engineering department of the Corporation says that they are awaiting government orders and fund sanction for underground drainage.
He says that pleas for other facilities will be addressed soon.
