CHENNAI: Residents of Arunthathiyar Nagar in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have alleged laxity on the part of officials as many of the issues in their region that have been pending for years, remain unresolved. Exposed electrical cables and narrow roads top their list of woes.
Arunthathiyar Nagar in North Chennai is home to around 2,000 families and most of the residents are daily wage labourers.The area comes under ward 71 of the Chennai corporation under the Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone.
“Exposed electric cables in Veeraraghavan and Dasar streets pose a threat to the people and we want the cables to be laid underground. Initially, they passed underground, but they were dug up when road work was taken up in some streets. Instead of providing a permanent fix following the road work, the officials restored the EB supply using wires that now hang over our heads. These wires should be taken down and cables should laid underground,” said C B Parandhaman, a resident.
Meanwhile, the vehicles plying from Vyasarpadi towards Otteri have to navigate through the narrow streets of Arunthathiyar Nagar to avoid taking a detour of 2 km. The residents want these roads to be relaid and speed-breakers to be installed to prevent motorists from riding recklessly.
“There is a corporation primary school on Polleri Amman Street and vehicles rush past this school at high speed during peak hours. Speed breakers should be installed in this stretch,” said Kannan, a resident of Polleri Amman Street.
They also want the dilapidated anganwadi centre in the area to be rebuilt. Two anganwadi centres operate in the same building near the corporation park. Parents said they are hesitant to send their children since the building is in an unsafe condition and a garbage collection centre is functioning from the same premises.
“We won’t be able to send our wards if the centre is shifted to a distant location. So, we urge the authorities to rebuild the anganwadi in the same area,” said Raveendran, a parent.
However, the corporation officials dismissed the allegations and said, “All the issues have been taken up on a priority basis. The anganwadi centre will be rebuilt soon.”