In December 2014, when many residents complained about bad roads and mosquito menace experienced in this posh ward (49), covering Narayanapuram and surrounding pockets in the city’s northern side, they opined that the councillor and the Corporation had taken initiatives to mitigate the problems.
Today, when The Hindu team revisited the ward, the councillor, P. Sasikumar, said that he had identified bad roads and laid roads at a cost of Rs 2 crore, using the Local Area Development Fund of DMK MPs, including Tiruchi N. Siva and M.K. Alagiri. “I have also taken steps to streamline drinking water distribution,” he noted.
As for the open drainage, he admitted that much had to be done still as the mosquito menace was being felt between “high” and “very high” in many dwellings.
As a temporary measure, fogging was being done regularly, thanks to the Corporation officials, but he looked at solving the issue only by constructing underground drainage system.
Though the Naganakulam tank, which has been given a facelift and has significant storage, the proposals to have a boat ride and a walk way still remain a non-starter.
While the councillor attributed very many reasons for the delay, he said that the DMK MLA P. Moorthy had now moved the PWD to consider the proposals. “I hope, the officials take it up in public interest as this could be a second such park next to Vandiyur lake in the city,” he felt.
With good storage in Periakanmai, Chinnakanmai and Kanakankanmai in the ward, many residential spots would not experience water shortage at all, he claimed and added that removal of garbage was being done by the Corporation swiftly now-a-days that there were very little complaints. In some streets in Bank Colony, residents had started educating public not to litter public places.
“This is a new beginning and hope it spreads to other areas as well,” Mr. Sasikumar said.
Similarly, after the Corporation introduced online street light monitoring mechanism, to a great extent, the non-functioning lights had been identified and replaced, he added.
Residents in Vishwa Shanthi Nagar, however, had a different story to narrate.
The garbage was being conveniently dumped at the Naganakulam tank, which had now become the space for anti-socials to misuse. Similarly, the TASMAC outlets near Iyer Bungalow junction and the one in P and T Nagar extension should be shifted, they said.
A. Nagendran, a resident of Narayanapuram, said that as garbage was dumped around the tank, a pathway should be created around it so that it could be used for morning walk by residents.
A resident, Pandian of Vaigai Sixth Main Street, said that the private hospitals should be taught not to throw their waste on the road.
With the ward falling in Madurai East constituency, which was won by the DMK in the recent Assembly poll, Mr. Sasikumar said that among the 11 wards in the constituency, his ward had polled the maximum number of votes for the DMK candidate, signalling that people were happy with the works done.
With the ward being reserved for women in the 2016 poll, Mr. Sasikumar said that the Corporation should convene an all-party meeting in this regard.
With local body elections expected to take place in about two months, the councillor, like any other resident, is keeping his hands folded for just one project to get implemented:
The much hyped boating at the Naganakulam tank as Collectors, including U. Sagayam, and the then Commissioner Kathiravan had approved the project.
