Vengambakkam is just 5.5 km from Camp Road junction, but in terms of development is seems light years away. Residents of Thiruvengadapuram, which is part of Vengambakkam village, has a sad story to tell. The layout is said to have been formed in 1986 and with development bypassing them for over 25 years, they formed the Thiruvengadapuram Residents Welfare Association (TRWA) in 2012 to ensure their civic problems are addressed.
Lilly Nagar, Rajesh Nagar, Victoria Avenue, Vasantham Avenue and Thiruvengadapuram Extension later became part of the Association and all of these come under the jurisdiction of Agaramthen panchayat.
These areas lack good roads, stormwater drains, a library, underground drainage system, proper lighting and parks. Together, these areas account for 15 interior streets. Except for two — Thiruvengadapuram Fifth Street and Thiruvengadapuram Main Road — none of these streets has been tarred.
“Whenever it rains, water stagnates knee-deep. We have sent several petitions to the Kancheepuram Collectorate, Panchayat Administration and Project Development, Kancheepuram and Block Development Officer, Kancheepuram, but in vain,” A.R. Lakshmanan, president, TRWA, said.
Jai Karthi, vice-president, TRWA, said, “The spaces earmarked for parks are nothing short of dumping grounds. They are overrun with seemai karuvelam. ”
This section has around five hundred families but an underground drainage system has not been provided yet. There are no stormwater drains either. Vacant plots are characterised by garbage pile-ups.
Vengadamangalam has a compost yard. Instead of segregating and composing bio-degradable waste, garbage is being burnt there,” Sundar Rajan, secretary, said.
The list of problems do not end there. The area lacks proper lighting, thereby enabling miscreants to indulge in anti-social activities. Repeated calls to contact the authorities concerned in the Kancheepuram district Collectorate proved futile.