Basic civic amenities remain a poll wish for Chennai suburbs – The New Indian Express

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Lack of civic amenities have turned into poll issues in Chennai constituencies as voters claim that even basic amenities such as metro water connection, underground sewage and garbage collection are lacking in these areas.

Residents and activists from Pallavaram, Tambaram, Maduravoyal, Poonamallee and Avadi echoed the same opinion highlighting the disparity between the suburbs and the areas in the city when it comes to civic amenities.

Pughalventhan V, an activist who has filed many RTIs with regard to civic issues in the suburbs, said that houses in the Maduravoyal constituency do not have underground sewage connection. “It has been 10 years since these areas were brought under Chennai Corporation. Still, basic amenities remain elusive. We do not know where the funds for providing these amenities disappeared,” said Pughal.

Maduravoyal is the fourth biggest constituency in Tamil Nadu with 4.48 lakh voters.  In Tambaram, the eight largest constituency in the State with 4,13,552 voters, the issues remain the same. However, due to strong local presence of residents welfare associations and civic activism, the MLA candidates ensure they meet the associations frequently and hear them out. 

Sunil Jayaraman of Chitlapakkam, a neighbourhood under the Tambaram constituency, said that even after 75 years of Independence, underground sewage has still not been provided. “We questioned the sitting DMK MLA why this has not been completed,” he said. Sunil said that the lack of basic issues such as water connection, roads, and increase in bus services are the important poll issues here. “A few parties have signed the requests made by the residents. The incumbent MLA also promised transparency in government projects,” he added.

The other issues for residents here have been metro rail expansion too.  The issues are the same in Avadi, the northwestern suburb of the city. Avadi is the fifth largest constituency with 4,40,005 voters. It is a star constituency as Minister Ma Foi Pandiarajan (61) is seeking re-election from here and will take on his old rival, SM Nasser (61) of DMK. Pandiarajan won by a slim margin of 1,300 votes in 2016.

While Pandiarajan has a lot of achievements in his kitty such as restoring Paruthipattu lake into an eco park, the locality despite being a Corporation, fundamental issues concerning garbage clearance, quality of roads and such are poor. Ajay Kumar of Avadi said many areas around Pattabiram and Avadi still do not have underground sewage lines. “Even metro water tap connections are scarce here,” he said.

With SM Nasser, also called as Avadi Nasser, having a strong local connection here, the contest is set to go down to the wire, and residents are strongly disposed to vote on the civic issues. Another suburb left in neglect is Poonamallee. Being the 13th largest constituency in the State with 3,57,874 voters, the locality does not even have storm water drains along in its main roads, say residents. “The storm water drain construction has been going on here for years along Poonamallee High Road and interiors. This leads to intense flooding,” says Purushothaman, who lives near Nazarathpet.