Home to middle-class, Ayapakkam awaits basic facilities

According to them, despite being home to thousands of families, the suburb neither has a police station nor government healthcare facilities, and has to deal with perpetual suburban issues like garbage collection, drinking water, etc.

Gilbert (45), a businessman from ward 3 in Ayapakkam, lamented that even though they reside in one of the largest constituencies in Asia, the voters here remained a neglected lot. “Our basic needs are not met. Even our demand for a police station and a fire service station have not been met. As of now, if a person has to file a police complaint, he has to go all the way to Tirumullaivoyal police station which is several kilometres away. We do not even have ambulance services too,” Gilbert said.

Sabarilingam, a social activist who resides in Ward 13, said that dedicated ambulance services was the need of the hour, as the road condition was bad and several schools were present in and around Ayapakkam.

“We have many students riding bicycles, two-wheelers and many mishaps take place. With no ambulance stations nearby, accident victims have to wait longer than usual,” he said. He pointed that the local panchayat office needs to have dedicated ambulances forits residents. According to the residents, even primary healthcare centres are largely absent in this neighbourhood.

Veeramani, former president of the Ayapakkam panchayat, said that facilities like better bus connectivity and a police station have been sought by the people here for a long time.

“More than 50 per cent of our residents are IT professionals who work in IT parks in Ambattur and surrounding areas. Yet, this area has been neglected,” he said.

Speaking to DT Next, Block development Officer Arun Kumar said that the town panchayat was operating without elected bodies.

“More than 60 per cent of roadworks has been completed. But we are short of funds to complete them. Also, steps are being taken to streamline water supply to residents. All other concerns have been taken up,but the respective departments have to take necessary action,”he said.