‘No use after merging with Tambaram Corporation’

CHENNAI: Residents of Chromepet and Pallavaram, which fall under the Tambaram Corporation, have alleged that they were being forced to live without basic civic amenities and that they have been neglected for several years.

According to residents, even the facilities that were available when the areas were part of the Pallavaram Municipality have deteriorated or vanished after the merger with the Tambaram Corporation.

Angered by what they describe as prolonged inaction, residents have warned that they would question political parties visiting their localities ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections and may even consider boycotting the polls if their demands continue to be ignored. Localities such as Radha Nagar, Shanthi Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Bharathipuram, Kurinji Nagar, Zamin Pallavaram, Old Pallavaram, Rayapettai, Nemilichery, Postal Nagar, Hasthinapuram, Thirumalai Nagar and Nehru Nagar are among the worst affected.

These areas come under Zones 2 and 3 of the Tambaram Corporation. Of the 70 wards in the Corporation, 28 are located in these two zones, with a combined population of around 3 lakh.

“Despite repeated protests and complaints over the years, no corrective action has been taken and our demands have remained unaddressed,” fumed a long-time resident. “Hasthinapuram bus stand, renovated at a cost of Rs 60 lakh, stinks all the time. We don’t know when it was properly cleaned. There are no basic amenities like drinking water and toilets.”

Several arterial roads, including Rajendra Prasad Road, Radha Nagar Main Road, Zamin Rayapettai Road, Nemilichery Road and Chromepet Station Road, have narrowed due to encroachments, leading to traffic congestion and frequent accidents. Residents alleged that the Corporation has failed to remove these encroachments despite safety concerns.

Flooding remains another major issue. Encroachments on storm water drains have not been cleared and desilting has not been carried out effectively. “A stormwater channel which once carried surplus water from Nanmangalam Lake to Keelkattalai Lake has disappeared. This has led to severe waterlogging,” lamented another resident. “A Rs 200-crore SWD project proposed earlier has also been dropped. Nobody tells us why.”

Frequent power outages and low-voltage supply in Hasthinapuram and surrounding areas have further added to residents’ woes. Although a new substation was proposed, the project has not commenced, leading to continued power disruptions.

“Garbage collection is not being carried out in apartment complexes with more than 50 houses. Property tax, including charges for waste management and additional fees, have been collected under the Swachh Bharat Mission,” averred a resident, who also raised concerns over an increase in drinking water deposits from Rs 5,500 to Rs 7,500 “without adequate explanation, along with the growing menace of stray dogs and cattle”.

C Murugaiyan, secretary of the Federation of Residents Welfare Associations in Zones 2 and 3, said, “All 28 wards in these zones have been neglected for years. Taxes have increased but basic services have not improved. Residents must hold political parties accountable.”

Tambaram Corporation officials, however, denied allegations of neglect, stating that development works were being carried out based on available financial resources and that “steps are being taken to address issues such as stray animals and civic infrastructure”.