Chennai: New signboards, traffic signages and gantries put up in Chennai in 2013 as part of ‘Ezhilmigu Chennai’ project have failed to last even for four years. The multi crore project in which street names and roadside signage were installed across Chennai is now an eyesore exposing poor contract works by the local administration department. A visit by Deccan Chronicle to parts of T Nagar and West Mambalam where the smart city funds are diverted for infrastructure development works revealed that the stainless steel sign board installed at a cost of about '14 crore has collapsed in several parts of the capital Chennai. In several areas local politicians and corporate houses have also put up their posters and advertisements on these structures defeating the purpose of roadside boards.
According to corporation sources, the corporation in the past five years has spent more than Rs 30 crore on beautifying the Chennai. Except the beautification works taken up along Marina, works executed in others areas have withered. Putting reflectors on bus route roads, signage boards on road intersections, swanky tiles on causeways and modernisation of bus shelters were taken up at public money, but all these cosmetic projects have failed to last long, sources said.
“Beautification projects are an eyewash and this had continued during both the AIADMK and the DMK regimes. Public would be more happy if the corporation spends money on constructing flyovers, parking lots and quality roads”, said civic activist Arani C Sreenivasan. Social activist Traffic Ramaswamy wants encroachments and garbage mounts to be removed and there is no action. Why waste money on cosmetic projects under the guise of beautifying Chennai, wondered Sreenivasan. When contacted, local corporation officials said damaged road signs and the bad roads are under study and they would be repaired soon.
