Residents of houses on street lanes off Anna Road in MGR Nagar, often return to their houses with empty pots as an Amma drinking water outlet remains shut for most part of the day.
Located at the intersection of 80-feet-Road and Anna Road, the spacious water outlet, which is iron-fenced and clean, has a capacity of more than 20,000 litres of water.
The outlet, which provides clean drinking water, is maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation supplementing the piped water and tanker water supplies to the neighbourhood.
On the street lanes around the 80-feet-Road, more than 15,000 residents live.
Each pot with a capacity of 20 litres is sold at Rs. 5. Most residents, especially those in the low-income group use the water from the outlet for drinking.
“Most of the time, the water outlet is locked. The neighbourhood has only this water outlet to meet our domestic needs,” said S. Rekha, a resident of K.K. Nagar.
Corporation officials said that the water distribution outlets in all 15 zones was started last year.
Accordingly, private agencies were roped in to supply water to these outlets every day.
On an average, each Corporation ward has one such outlet catering to local residents.
Initially, it was planned that the civic body will provide bubble top cans but due to cost escalation, residents were asked to bring pots with a capacity of 20 litres to fetch water from these outlets.
As per norms, residents should provide a photocopy of their family ration card as address proof. Each cardholder will be eligible for 20 litres of water every day.
“We will take necessary steps to keep the outlet open for the scheduled time, between 8 a.m and 7 p.m., every day,” said a Corporation official.
