When demands for basic needs remain unfulfilled for years, where is the question of hoping for widespread development in this part of Chennai? This is one common line that runs on the minds of several residents of Tondiarpet zone, which is home to some of the thickly populated areas in north Chennai.
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Interactions with a cross-section of residents across the zone, which includes areas in Tondiarpet, Korukkupet, Kodungaiyur, Vyasarpadi, New and Old Washermenpet, showed how residents still long for basic needs such as potable drinking water, proper roads and sanitation.
Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Other than the Metro Rail, residents feel that there has not been any significant infrastructure development in northern parts of Chennai. | Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
Except for the metro rail, there has been no drastic infrastructural development in this part of north Chennai over the years, said Mohammed Ayub, a resident of Pensioner’s Lane, Old Washermenpet.
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“When compared to the rest of Chennai, areas in north Chennai see no changes infrastructure-wise. We have to repeatedly raise complaints even for basic needs such as clearing garbage. Waterlogging is one of the main issues in our area, and remains unaddressed. Areas such as Pensioner’s Lane and Kathpada have been facing water logging during rain especially after the metro rail project was implemented and this remains unaddressed,” he said.
In Kodungaiyur, shifting the dump yard continues to be a long-pending demand for residents. “Now, they have started to transport and dump garbage from areas such as Pallavaram, Tambaram, Ambattur and Villivakkam to the Kodungaiyur site. This is unacceptable as we have been fighting to shift the dump yard. The stench is unbearable. Politicians come here only during elections to seek votes,” N.S. Ramachandra Rao, founder-president of Ever Vigilant Citizens Welfare Association.
He wondered how the garbage dump that now stood at 40-feet height from the road level would be cleared and what would be done to the plastic waste that has accumulated over the decades.
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Ganesan Perumal, a resident of Krishnamoorthy Nagar, added that there were about five to six lakh residents in localities that were affected due to the presence of the dump yard including MKB Nagar, Rajarathinam Nagar, Ezhil Nagar, Nethaji Nagar, KKD Nagar, Manali and Union Carbide Colony. “The air is polluted, and there is a pungent smell especially at night. We want the dump yard to be shifted from Kodungaiyur,” he said.
A plan to construct a rail overbridge at Korukkupet — the foundation stone for which was laid in 2016 by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa — made no headway, said R. Loganathan, State executive committee member of CPI (M).
“This is a much-needed overbridge that will cover areas such as Coronation Nagr and Ezhil Nagar and will help road users as traffic piles up when the railway gates are closed,” he said.
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He added that during the AIADMK regime, old age pension was stopped for several beneficiaries or had turned irregular.
Kalyani (name changed on request), a resident of New Washermenpet, said the problem of contaminated drinking water remained unresolved for years. “We have been continuously asking the authorities to look into the issue for over five years but to no avail. Apart from this, many roads, including interior lanes, are damaged and there is sewage overflow in some localities,” she said.
Candidates, cutting across party lines, are well-aware that the majority of the areas lack basic amenities and suffer from poor sanitation.
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In ward 41, B. Vimala, CPI (M) candidate, said sanitation was the foremost issue followed by the need to replace old pipelines for drinking water supply, desilting of drains and laying of proper roads.
K. Sharmila Gandhi, DMK’s candidate for ward 34, said, cleanliness of areas was one of the main needs. “People want parks and anganwadi centres as well, while water logging issues need to be addressed in some areas,” she said.
With shifting of the dump yard at Kodungaiyur being one of the main issues, J. Dilli Babu of Congress who is contesting in ward 37 said the inflow of garbage from other areas should reduce and the ongoing biomining works had to be expedited by engaging additional machinery and manpower. “Residents have been complaining of stench and mosquitoes due to the dump yard,” he said.
Malini Shannmugavinayagam, AIADMK’s candidate for ward 42 said that the main issues raised by residents were contaminated drinking water, poor road conditions in interior areas and overflowing drains.