Despite falling in the high-profile R.K. Nagar constituency represented by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Ward 43 predominantly is populated by poor residents, most of whom reside in slum tenements and fishing hamlets. The division measuring 0.74 sq. km has the lowest number of streets in the Tondiarpet zone. In a division where most of the houses are stacked tightly in narrow lanes, the officials of the Chennai Corporation find little scope for creating civic infrastructure facilities such as stormwater drains, parks and playgrounds. For the residents, the main grouse is traffic congestion.
The division is located near the Chennai Harbour and the Suryanarayana Street, which is the main access road for heavy vehicles bound to the harbour, is choked with heavy traffic. The other important complaint is voltage fluctuation.
S. Manojkumar, a resident of Thiruvalluvar Nagar 4th Street, citing the fluctuations in their locality, said the proposal to construct a substation inside the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet to provide relief to the overburdened 33/11-Kilo Volt (KV) substation at New Washermenpet was yet to take off.
The residents of Singaravelan Nagar, who live in close proximity to the sea, are concerned about the possibility of flooding.
A senior official of Chennai Corporation said in a division dominated by slum tenements and considering public space constraints, they have taken steps to re-lay 18 roads with bitumen topping and 29 roads with concrete. The civic official said steps have been taken to construct stormwater drains in Singaravelan Nagar, which is prone to flooding, and link the facility to the sea for faster drainage. Three new parks have been developed and the burial ground is being spruced up with a small park being developed inside it, he added.
The civic officials, to address the issue of poor quality of piped water supply in certain streets and lack of water supply in others have set up facilities for Amma Kudineer on Tiruvottiyur High Road.
