The 10th annual general body meeting of V.G.N. Nagar Residents Welfare Association, which was held recently at Nolambur, raised many issues pending with the Chennai Corporation and other government agencies.
Tar-topping of important roads in the locality before the onset of Monsoon was one of the major issues. Members said that it was a perennial problem and newly-laid roads would not withstand even a short spell of rain.
After several petitions, Guruswamy Road, Second Cross Street and Third Cross Street, were levelled with gravel stones. Though motorable, pedestrians find it hard to use the road.
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According to office-bearers of the association, when the issue was presented to the Chennai Mayor, the main reason mentioned for not taking up the road-laying work was the proposed drainage project. It was argues that if the project took of, the newly laid road would have to be dug, thereby damaging it. . A sum of Rs. 5.5 crores was sanctioned and the details of streets covered were provided to them by the Chennai Corporation officials.
As the commencement of road work was getting delayed due to some issues, last week the association met the Deputy Mayor, P. Benjamin, and he directed the officials to do patch up work on the pit holes in the road..
Next, the members wanted the removal of encroachments on 50-Feet-Main Road, which is pending ever since the locality was being developed. The issue is being highlighted in every meeting with officials of Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metro Development Authority, but to no avail. As this is a main road to enter into the locality it affects all the residents.
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Northern end of the 50-Feet-Road is a junction of five roads and without any approvals, a room was constructed here purportedly for a ration shop by the previous Panchayat. The move was objected by residents, because it blocked the free-flow of traffic. The road has become more busy due to multi-storey apartments coming up and countless number of cars being parked. Fortunately, due to some reason the building has not become functional at all. “We are pressing for the demolition of that building, straightening of the road and the removal of 18-feet encroachment. But, we have been facing a lot of resistance from lower-rung officials,” the members were informed.
There are delays in clearance of garbage, with some areas being visited only five days a week.
Association president D. Kamalakannan said that pending issues such as connecting road from VGN Nagar via the service road to 200-Feet-Byepass Road would be taken up with CMDA, State Highways and National Highways Authority of India, for necessary sanctions. This will save the residents and motorists from taking a 2 km detour. A committee should be formed to discuss issues related to areas that were earlier under the village panchayats, and which now came under the administration of Chennai Corporation, he said.
The annual report of the year 2011–2012 was presented by the secretary R.S. Raghavan.