With several wards in its jurisdiction coming under the Kolathur constituency, which is represented of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the spotlight is on Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar zone in the campaign for Greater Chennai Corporation Council election.
The focus of the campaign in parts of Perambur, Kolathur and Pulianthope has been on stormwater drains, spaces for recreation, institutions of higher education, issuance of patta, public transportation, last-mile connectivity, water supply and public health infrastructure. Kolathur Rajaji Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association Member S. Prabakaran said residents had been asking for better stormwater drains, parks and libraries in the area. “We submitted a petition to the Corporation in 2018 for stormwater drains but the Corporation invited us for a meeting about flood mitigation only last month in Ripon Buildings,” he said.
Residents have demanded connecting drains to carry stormwater from low level areas. “Many streets do not have stormwater drain connectivity. For instance, Rajaji Nagar has 42 streets, but we have only one drain,” said Mr. Prabakaran. Residents pointed to lack of facilities for walking and recreation in the area. Senior citizens walk on Platform No. 4 in Villivakkam railway station in the morning because of the absence of parks and spaces for walking. Therefore, the residents have requested the Corporation to develop a park on a large parcel of land belonging to the HR and CE Department.
P. Narayanan, BSP candidate in Ward 64, said the residents in the area demand better civic infrastructure by the Corporation to provide last mile connectivity from the proposed Metro Rail station in Villivakkam market.
Bridge at Villivakkam
“The bridge near Villivakkam railway station should be completed soon. Other infrastructure to improve connectivity should be developed without land acquisition. Many residents have demanded patta,” he said. M. Shanmugam, Makkal Needhi Maiam candidate in Ward 73, said the permission given by the CMDA and the Corporation to develop a high-rise building in Ward 72 on Cooks Road has led to depletion of groundwater in many parts of Pulianthope. “We had flooding during the northeast monsoon. But the groundwater had depleted because of the use of advanced machines to take huge quantities of groundwater from the construction site. Residents have complained to the government,” he said. V. Lille Kalpana, AIADMK candidate in Ward 70, said the campaign had focussed on bad roads, poor drain network and inadequate water supply in the area. Residents have demanded speedy completion of the bridge near Villivakkam railway station to improve connectivity between Kolathur and Anna Nagar.
CM’s outreach
Former DMK councillor Deva Jawahar said the visit of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin every 10 days to meet the residents of Kolathur had started showing results at the ward level and raised the hope of residents that the civic infrastructure would improve in the area.
“Welfare measures for the poor have improved in the past few months. The residential areas in the zone are expected to transform into a better place because of major civic infrastructure projects. The launch of a government college has provided an opportunity for the higher education for poor residents of the locality,” he said.
