Highlighting the “undue delay” in the completion of underground drainage works and relaying of the dug-up roads, Tiruchi East MLA Inigo Irudayaraj staged a brief sit-in on the road in front of his office on West Boulevard Road on Tuesday night.
Flanked by his supporters, Mr. Irudayaraj of the Christian Goodwill Movement, who was elected to the State Assembly on the DMK symbol, placed a chair in front of his office and sat on it around 10.30 pm. As information spread, a few more supporters of his constituency joined him.
On information, officials of Tiruchi City Corporation led by G. Kumaresan, Executive Engineer (East), rushed to the spot. Pointing to the poor condition of West Boulevard Road, which was among the roads dug up for the underground drainage work, Mr. Irudayaraj told the officials that it had become a nightmare for the motorists to ride vehicles including buses, cars and two-wheelers.
He said West Boulevard Road was an arterial road and one of the important bus plying roads in the city. A large number of buses were being operated from Chathiram Bus Stand to Gandhi Market and Tiruchi Junction. Considering the importance of the road, priority should have been given to completing the works in a time-bound manner. But work had been taken up on a snail’s pace.
Mr. Kumaresan explained the steps taken by the Corporation to expedite the works. All works on West Boulevard Road had been completed and the road would be re-laid immediately. Following this, Mr. Irudayaraj gave up the protest and subsequently his supporters dispersed from the spot.
When contacted, Mr. Irudayaraj told The Hindu that his action could not be termed a protest. He just wanted to highlight the suffering of the people due to the worst condition on the road. Motorists had been struggling to drive vehicles on West Boulevard Road and other roads.
A senior official of the Corporation said that all UGD works on West Boulevard Road were over. Preparatory work for laying a new road had started. It would be relayed in one or two days.
