Chettiapatty, which is part of the 39th ward of the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation, is located at a distance of just six km from the city. Though it’s been nearly 20 years since the area was merged with the city Corporation, it still looks like a typical village with poor roads and drainage systems and abysmal basic amenities.
The road leading to the Padukai area from the Ramachandra Nagar subway (E-Pudur) via Chettiapatti is very narrow and dotted with pits, pot holes, and huge craters.
The road which branches into Chettiapatty and connects the Guru Gardens residential area, for which the Tiruchi Corporation has given approval for nearly 128 plots, is in pretty bad shape too. Even during summers, it’s very cumbersome to negotiate the stretch, say the residents.
Similarly, the drainage system is dysfunctional at several locations due to damage and clogging. The drainage line has been left uncovered for several years, posing grave danger to the lives of passersby, particularly children and elders. Many of the streetlights, which have worn out, have not been replaced for long. The repeated representations to the authorities have not brought any tangible improvement on the ground, the reaidents say.
“There is an urgent need to draw a special plan to address the basic requirements of the residents of the 39th ward in general and Chettiapatty in particular. The area had remained neglected for long; basic amenities have to be improved,” said H.Ghouse Baig, a consumer activist, who is also residing in the area.
The senior officials should visit the area to get firsthand information about the needs of the residents by listening to their grievances.
