Pallavaram suburb is still grounded

Chennai: Chennai is slowly limping back to normalcy following devastating floods but suburban Pallavaram continues to be in a state of standstill. The termination of bus services to interior places from this southern suburb, roads which are not motorable and overflowing sewer have made matters worse for local residents.

As a ripple effect, residents of old Pallavaram are forced to pay exorbitant prices to auto-rickshaw drivers for about three months now. MTC driver K. Saravanan, (name changed) said the department was unable to operate buses as the underground drainage works is pending near Pallavaram Railway station.

“Reaching my office at Pallavaram has become a costly affair now as we shell out Rs 40 rather than Rs 4 by bus. We have never seen a police constable doing rounds,” rued a senior citizen, O. Varadarajan.

“Sewerage pipe lines were cut while laying telephone cables. The issue was observed post rains and is under rectification. Roads will be laid in a week,” said Pallavaram MLA P. Dhansingh.

According to a senior Pallavaram municipal official, an amount of Rs 1.7 crore was granted as a temporary fund to the municipality. “We had requested Rs 12 crore which is expected next month,” he said admitting the lack of adequate funds to repair battered roads. Informed sources in the municipality revealed that the granted money is not sufficient.

“Many areas in old Pallavaram suffered massive damage during the rains and another Rs 8 crore needs to be granted to resume normality,” an official explained seeking anonymity.

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