Relay road, say residents and stage protest

Residents of Sambangi Street here staged a protest against the Kariyapatti town panchayat on Thursday seeking to include their street for re-laying of road.

They said that the road that had been partially laid several years back.

While the adjacent Shenbagam Street has been given a fresh layer, officials ignored this street. Police officials pacified them saying that they would take up their cause with the local body.

“The town panchayat finalised tender for several lakhs to re-lay roads in the town. But there is no transparency on selection of works,” complained Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam town secretary, R. K. Senthil.

Mr. Senthil, who is the former councillor of ward 12 under which Sambangi street falls, alleged that influence of ruling party was behind selection of roads to be re-laid.

M. Velmurugan, 45, a resident of the street, said that several petitions had been given to the local body seeking road work.

“However, the officials were reluctant to take up work in our street,” he said.

Executive Officer of Kariyapatti Town panchayat, M. Manikandan, said that the delay in taking up work in Sambangi Street was due to lack of drainage facility.

“We wanted to ensure proper drainage facility so that the road would last long. We are going to take up work in this street too,” he added.