Walkie talkies make a comeback

Madurai Corporation on Tuesday re-introduced wireless radio sets for its officials and employees.

Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa handed over the walkie talkies to the Corporation staff.. The local body procured 180 radio sets at a cost of Rs. 40 lakh, the Corporation Commissioner, R. Nanthagopal, said.

The Mayor, Commissioner, Deputy Mayor, Assistant Commissioners, Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers, and the heads of departments will have vehicle-mounted radio sets, in addition to the walkie talkies. The Assistant Engineers, sanitary inspectors and conservancy inspectors would be provided walkie talkies.

“Monitoring of routine activities such as water supply, sweeping and garbage removal will become easier by using these sets,” he said. The radio sets are expected to facilitate better communication for the Mayor and the Commissioner with their staff.

“A wake up call over the walkie talkie at 6.30 a.m. by the Mayor or the Commissioner will ensure that all the officials and employees are on the streets starting their work early in the morning,” Mr. Nanthagopal said. Any complaints received from the residents could be passed on to the Assistant Commissioners, engineers and the ground staff in real time. A control room has been set up at the Corporation vehicle shed at Sellur, and zonal-level control rooms at the offices of the Assistant Commissioners. The control rooms would assist the officials in passing on instructions to other officers and employees.

Mr. Nanthagopal said that the walkie talkies proved their worth at the Ring Road toll plazas. “The employees were able to alert the next booth about any vehicle that escaped without paying the toll,” he added.

The Mayor has asked the officials and employees to use the walkie talkies round the clock. He said that the radio sets would be handy during emergencies.

The Deputy Commissioner, V. Sambhavi, the Assistant Commissioners, A. Madhuram, D. Chinnammal, S. Rehobayam, and A. Devadoss were present.