Basic amenities such as quality drinking water, drainage facilities, roads are still an issue for the residents of zone 11, comprising Valasaravakkam, Alwarthirunagar and parts of Porur, Nolumbur and Maduravoyal.
The zone is witnessing intense campaign by candidates, many of whom are women, as some wards have been recently set aside for women contestants.
V. Madhiazhagan, a resident of ward 149, said the government had started a scheme to replace damaged pipes and supply drinking water to the residents nearly four years ago, but it has not been completed. The roads were dug up but the work has stalled. The ward has around 27,000 voters and all of them are suffering as the roads have not been repaired.
V.R. Krishnan, secretary of the ETA Verde Owners’ Association, said the main issue is the disposal of garbage. Residents of the apartment complex on Arcot Road have paid ₹20 lakh to the Metrowater to establish pipelines to drain water but nothing has come of it. The residents segregate their waste and the inorganic waste is collected by a contractor for ₹80 an apartment. But even that has stopped for some time now, they said.
Arul, a rice merchant in Mettukuppam Main Road in Maduravoyal, said the road was laid 10 years ago. The road has been dug up regularly, leaving huge potholes that are yet to be repaired. “All other roads have been re-laid but not this one,” he said.
For the contestants, the larger issue of re-laying roads and ensuring drinking water supply and laying sewage pipelines are of immediate concern.
Immanuel M. is contesting again from ward 143 (Nolumbur), where he is representing the AIADMK. “In my area almost all facilities have been provided. The residents need a playground and a community hall to conduct functions. They also need a public health facility,” said the former councillor, who represented the ward in 2011. On whether he would be able to complete his projects now that the rival political party is in power, he said: “They are officials, and they will complete the work.”
Basic amenities
But B. Rupalingam, who is representing the Makkal Needhi Maiam from the ward, said the residents do not have basic amenities. “The ward is lacking quality roads. In many places, sewage overflows, and the stormwater drains require urgent repairs. On many roads artificial blocks have been raised to repair drains but nothing has happened. Sometimes the street lights are not switched off even during daytime. People are not aware of government schemes, and I want to make them aware of the schemes,” he said.
Harini Purushothaman of the BJP, who is contesting from ward 150, Karambakkam, said though the area’s MLA was from the DMK the locality has not benefitted. The mother of three children is a resident of Teachers Colony in Barathi Salai and hopes to make the best of the opportunity she now has.
K. Raju of the DMK, who is contesting from ward 155 in Ramapuram, said his immediate focus was on improving sewage disposal and stormwater drains. He hopes to provide these with the support of the Maduravoyal MLA. An issue that needs to be addressed is getting the title deeds for residents of the housing board apartments in his locality, he added.
