Residents of Oulgaret were on the streets for the second day on Wednesday — this time to protest the move to erect an arch on Jawahar Main Road.
Following Tuesday’s “pot-breaking” stir by some residents to highlight improper water supply , a group of residents staged a protest in front of the Oulgaret Municipality against its move to construct an arch on the arterial road.
The protestors said that Jawahar Main Road was already congested and not conducive to have an arch. The area already has the office of the municipality, Town and Country Planning, Puducherry Planning Authority, Registrar’s office and commercial complexes and been causing traffic congestion.
The municipality is trying to build an arch at the entrance of the narrow road, which would create more problems. A. Devasagayam, a CPI functionary, claimed that the erstwhile Oulgaret Municipal Council had adopted resolution on October 21, 2009 against the construction of an arch on Jawahar Main Road. The decision to construct the arch despite resistance from the locals violates the municipality’s own charter. The government should appoint a Special Officer to annul the resolution, he said.
A senior municipal official said there was demand from one section of the residents for construction of the arch. The municipality has already assigned work to the contractors.