High taxes no guarantee for better amenities in Sriperumbudur

CHENNAI: Sriperumbudur is witnessing rapid industrial growth with factories and industrial estates expanding around the town, but residents lamented that basic civic amenities in residential areas have failed to keep pace with the development.

Sriperumbudur was upgraded to a municipality in February 2025. This move raised expectations among residents that the town would receive better roads, improved sanitation, drainage facilities and other civic infrastructure.

However, residents say that more than a year and a half later, there has been no improvement in several residential areas.

They also pointed out that taxes have increased after the civic upgrade, while several amenities remain inadequate.

This is particularly noticeable as Sriperumbudur has emerged as an important industrial hub, with several industrial estates and factories located in and around the town.

The growing industrial activity has brought more workers, vehicles and commercial activity to the region, increasing pressure on the existing civic infrastructure.

“Our area is growing rapidly in terms of industrial development and other activities. But when it comes to civic infrastructure, Sriperumbudur still lags behind,” said Sundar, a resident of Sriperumbudur. “There has been no significant development in basic amenities even after the town was upgraded to a municipality.”

Sriperumbudur is also a historic town known for the Ramanujar temple, and the memorial of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is located here. The municipality covers 19.39 sq km and has 15 wards, with more than 1 lakh people living in the area.

“One of the major concerns raised by residents is the shortage of cleanliness workers,” S Abishek, a resident. “Around 180 workers are required for sanitation-related work in the municipality, but there are fewer than 80 now. This shortage has resulted in garbage accumulating at several locations.”

Poor drainage is another major concern. Several residential streets do not have proper sewage and drainage facilities, resulting in wastewater overflowing onto roads. Residents fumed that stagnant wastewater and foul smells have become a regular problem in some neighbourhoods.

“Industries are growing rapidly, and the town is developing economically, but residential areas should also receive the same attention. People living here need proper roads, drainage and sanitation facilities,” said Karthiga, a resident.

The condition of several roads has also drawn criticism. Residents said that roads damaged during infrastructure works have not been properly restored, leaving potholes and uneven stretches that cause inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians.

The underground drainage project has added to the concerns. “Several roads dug up for the project have not been properly restored and alleged that the work is progressing slowly,” said a resident.

The Sriperumbudur bus stand is another facility residents want improved. They claim the bus stand is poorly maintained and does not have adequate space for buses, leading to congestion. Passengers also face inadequate drinking water, toilet and lighting facilities.

Residents have also pointed out the absence of proper street name boards in several areas. They said that the lack of signboards makes it difficult for visitors, delivery personnel and people from outside the town to locate residential streets.

“There aren’t enough public parks, recreational spaces or even spaces for children to play and senior citizens and others to walk. The existing parks are also allegedly not maintained properly,” said Ramanathan, a resident. “Even though the population is increasing and the town is expanding, there are very few proper recreational spaces for residents. The municipality should create and maintain more parks.”

Meanwhile, a vegetable, fruit and flower market complex constructed at Sivathangal at a cost of around Rs 3 crore has remained unused for more than a year. Residents have urged the authorities to open the facility and make it available for public use.

Residents said the municipality needs to plan its infrastructure based on the town’s rapid industrial and population growth rather than addressing civic problems only after they become serious.

“When Sriperumbudur was a town panchayat, we paid lower taxes and still had better facilities. After it was upgraded to a municipality, taxes have increased, but basic amenities have not improved. In some areas, even the facilities that were available earlier are now lacking. The municipality should provide infrastructure according to its new status,” said Elangovan, a resident of Sriperumbudur.

When contacted, municipal officials said that improvements had already begun as part of the first phase at an estimated cost of around Rs 5 crore. “After completion of the first phase, additional funds will be allocated for further road works. The Sriperumbudur bus stand is expected to undergo comprehensive modernisation soon,” the official added.

Regarding the shortage of sanitation workers, officials explained that a request had been submitted to the Director of Municipal Administration to increase the workforce and that additional workers were expected to be appointed soon. Priority was being given to the underground drainage and drinking water projects.

Regarding the market complex, the facility had not yet been opened as traders had shown little interest in taking the shops on lease, delaying its operation.