Chennai Citizen Connect: Non-functional lift, broken benches at Tambaram, Selaiyur combined registrar office irks public

CHENNAI: The public visiting the Tambaram and Selaiyur combined Sub Registrar office in a complex at Maruthi Nagar in Rajakilpakkam near Selaiyur are welcomed with a malfunctioning lift and broken, rusted iron benches.

Visitors are facing major inconvenience as the elevator in the three-storey building has been out of order for over a month. The Selaiyur Sub Registrar office is located on the first floor of a complex. The Tambaram Sub Registrar office is located on the second floor of the same building.

Hundreds of people visit the combined sub registrar office every day for property registrations, mortgages, marriage certificates, birth and death records, and encumbrance certificates.

However, the lack of a functional lift has deprived the public of their rights to basic access. Senior citizens, pregnant women, patients with heart conditions, and persons with disabilities are forced to climb the staircase. “My father has knee problems. We had to literally carry him upstairs with the help of a few people,” said a frustrated resident from Tambaram.

The public also highlighted that the iron benches in the waiting area of the office are rusted and broken, leaving visitors with torn clothes and even minor injuries. Despite generating crores in revenue for the government, the office is poorly maintained, noted the visitors. The building has not seen a fresh coat of paint in years and resembles an abandoned bungalow, complained the visitors.

When contacted, a staff member in the office said that maintenance falls under the Public Works Department (PWD). We have informed higher officials, and steps are being taken to repair the lift and fix the seating, the officer assured.