Chennai MLAs turn focus on pending works to woo voters

In the absence of an elected Corporation Council in Chennai, the North Chennai legislators are now focusing on their votebanks, benefitting the cash-starved civic bodies. The funds are pouring through the MLA Local Area Development Funds (MLALAD). As per the revised estimates, an MLA can allocate a sum of Rs 2.5 crore per year to improve the amenities in Chennai under the MLALAD.

Egmore legislator K S Ravichandran is now frequenting a site in Kosapet where a multi-storey air-conditioned marriage hall is constructed using his area development fund to the tune of Rs 3.4 crore. Ravichandran has diverted maximum funds to the upmarket marriage hall coming inside the slum pocket.

“In Egmore constituency, private marriage halls fleece public. There is no modern AC marriage hall for the middle class and the poor. This marriage hall will be a game-changer for the locality and the approach roads will be widened,” the MLA told DT Next. A lot of road works and stormwater drain works have been carried in my constituency under the MLALAD funds and there are issues to be addressed related to ration shops, he said.

Thiru Vi Ka Nagar MLA Thayagam Kavi is also now waging a war with the Chennai Corporation officials for not speeding up the restoration of herbal poonga, which was mauled by the Cyclone Vardah in 2015.

“After the cyclone, I allocated Rs 36 lakh to restore the herbal park in Nammalwarpettai, but the funds were not used by the civic authorities till now. Based on my complaints the maintenance work is now carried out. “Ninety per cent of the complaints, I receive from Thiruvi Ka Nagar residents are about drinking water shortage and sewer overflow. I have diverted a lion’s share of the MLALAD fund for replacing the drinking water and drainage lines. You will not believe some of the replaced pipes are seven decades old, Kavi said.

Meanwhile, state Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar also kick-started a ground-breaking ceremony to construct a pumping station for Egmore constituency at a cost of Rs 2 crore. According to the minister, the new pumping station to be constructed by the Chennai metro water will prevent sewer overflow and alleviate flooding in 36 roads of Central Chennai.