CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements at Moolakothalam face multiple unaddressed issues, primarily structural damages like leakages and crumbling walls. On Thursday, while many residents of Ramdass Nagar and Privil thottam were relocated to this tenement recently, few others who haven’t receive house allocation have protested alleging 43 families were excluded.
Following the protest and concern raised by residents on several issues within tenement, TNUHDB Joint Managing Director K Vijayakarthikeyan inspected the site on Friday, describing the issues as minor repairs to be addressed through a comprehensive checklist.
The Moolakothalam development, spanning 5.29 acres, consists of 1,044 tenements across nine blocks. A TNIE inspection on Friday found exposed iron rods where concrete had chipped away, broken toilets, non-functional lifts, damaged windows, and leaky pipelines in multiple residences.
Dilip Kumar (21), a resident of Ramdass Nagar awaiting an allotment, highlighted similar issues in his relative’s H-Block unit, where wall plaster crumbled at touch, exposing iron rods. In I-Block, a damp ceiling was observed, while an elderly resident demonstrated eroding concrete as she washed clothes in the corridor. The I-Block also lacked adequate corridor lighting.
Komala V (45), a resident of H-Block, reported unfinished repairs such as faulty locks, missing window handles, broken toilets, and damp walls. “Construction was completed years ago, yet these issues remain unresolved,” she remarked.
Waterlogging around tenements due to pipeline leaks has also been reported, with some units experiencing continuous flooding from pipes lacking proper taps.
Residents from Annai Sathya Nagar in Villivakkam, relocated nearly a month ago, said incomplete electrical installations, including exposed cables in corridors, damp walls, and non-functional lifts disrupting daily routines. Meena N (28), a C-Block resident, shared, “It’s been almost a month, and we still have to use the stairs daily because the lifts haven’t worked since we moved in.”
During his inspection, Vijayakarthikeyan instructed workers to test construction quality by striking walls and floors. Speaking to TNIE, he stated, “We’ll prepare a checklist to inspect all units thoroughly. The building quality has been assessed, with no major issues found. However, minor concerns raised by residents will be promptly addressed. Security personnel and lift operators will be appointed, and resident welfare associations will be established to manage these issues.”
A TNUHDB official noted that, while 355 individuals from Ramdass Nagar and Privil Thottam were listed during enumeration, an additional 12 have since requested housing. Currently, 43 families await allocation, which will proceed after verification to prevent duplication.