CHENNAI: Crumbling buildings, drug abuse among youths, and the lack of basic infrastructure were among the primary demands raised by residents of Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board tenements during a protest organised by Arappor Iyakkam in Chennai on Sunday.
“The government holds job fairs. But what they offer us are only sanitation or cleaning jobs. Don’t we have educated people here? This is the mindset, as if we were meant only for that,” fumed Praveena, a resident of Kannagi Nagar.
Residents said employment, education and healthcare continue to remain out of reach in many resettlement colonies, particularly those located on the city’s outskirts. Held under the banner ‘Kelu Chennai Kelu’, the protest brought together residents from Kannagi Nagar’s Ezhil Nagar and Tsunami Nagar in Thoraipakkam, Perumbakkam, Pulianthope KP Park and Moolakothalam. Together, these tenements house around 60,000 people.
Residents said the most immediate concern across the tenements was the deteriorating condition of the buildings. “For the first two years we did not realise it, and then everything started to deteriorate. The four-storey buildings in Ezhil Nagar cannot withstand even light rain. Water leaks through the walls, switch boxes give electric shocks and the walls are fully damp. It has been 10 years now and it does not feel like home,” said a resident.
Concerns over the spread of drug abuse were raised as a major concern. Parents say that substance abuse has become widespread in and around the tenements, affecting even young people. “The situation has led to school dropouts and safety concerns for women,” lamented a resident, who demanded rehabilitation support and immediate action to curb narcotics.
Residents also sought a daily supply of clean drinking water, regulated electricity distribution, and properly functioning lifts. Sanitation issues were flagged as a persistent problem, with residents calling for the cleaning of open drains and the creation of a proper sewage disposal system
There is no 24/7 medical facilities in the area. Residents travel long distances even during emergencies. With inadequate bus services and schools, children too suffer.
Arappor Iyakkam said it had submitted a 10-point charter of demands to the State government, calling for improvements and demanding a structured grievance redressal mechanism. “These are not isolated issues but systemic failures affecting tens of thousands of families,” said Jayaraman Venkatesan, coordinator of Arappor Iyakkam.