TIRUCHY: The corporation on Friday held its council meeting and discussed steps taken ahead of the monsoon. Earlier, the corporation held an emergency session and tabled the property tax revision decided by the State government. Councillors raised concern over the condition of interior roads at the meeting and mayor Mu Anbalagan assured them of quick action.
"If underground drainage work has not started on an interior road or a main road, it will begin only after the rainy season. For the time being, contractors have been directed to finish the work on roads where underground drainage work has been completed," Anbalagan said. An official said, "We are focussing on blacktopping the roads before the rainy season.
But, if underground drainage team begins work on more roads now, it would become difficult to complete the blacktopping before the rains. So, we are focussing on completing the ongoing works." Councillors also raised civic issues like littering in public places, stray animal menace, mosquito menace and drinking water supply. Anbalagan directed the officials to look into the issues.
He also announced the corporation's plan to construct a bus stand on the one-acre land near the Srirangam zonal office. Since Srirangam is a major pilgrim destination, several councillors admitted that the move would be of great help to people. V Jawahar, councillor of Ward 2, suggested that the corporation should consider building it on a plot belonging to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
"The Yatri Nivas in Srirangam was constructed by HR&CE on five acres given by the corporation. We have not received any alternative land as compensation. Apart from this, there is no public toilet inside the Srirangam temple. We have to raise this with the HR&CE too," Jawahar said. Anbalagan said the corporation will take up the issues with the HR&CE Department.
The corporation also informed the council that the government has sanctioned Rs 36 crore for the reconstruction of the 156-year-old railway bridge in the city and the railway has to contribute about `36 crore. The corporation also decided to purchase additional battery-operated garbage collection vehicles.