Dark streets and slushy roads add to residents’ woes in Madurai

Residents along with Counsellors air their grievances at weekly meeting

Overflowing sewage and garbage filled streets across the central zone of Madurai Corporation are the issues that pose problems to commuters day and night, said residents at the weekly grievance redressal meeting here on Tuesday. They were accompanied by the Councillors.

Mayor Indrani Pon Vasanth, Deputy Commissioner P.M.N. Mujubeer Rahman, Deputy Mayor T. Nagarajan and Zonal Chairperson P. Pandi Selvi were present at the meeting.

Doraisamy Nagar People’s Welfare Association secretary R. N. Ilangovan charged that the petition, submitted two months ago, to at least temporarily fix roads in their area that were dug up to lay underground drainage pipelines had not been redressed until now.

“The authorities appear callous. Why were even the roads dug up without constructing a pumping station, the work of which has been abandoned for months now? Contractor and authorities state that there are no funds which is unacceptable,” he said. The association members, along with the DMK Councillor T. Amutha, also aired their grievance that faulty street lights were leading to frequent crimes in their area.

DMK councillor of ward 61, S. Selvi, accompanied by residents and members of Velmurugan Nagar Kudiyirupor Nala Sangam demanded installation of street lights at the earliest. “The lights used to burn during the day and not at night, now it has been dead for months,” complained R. Senthilkumar, secretary of the association.

The petitioners were assured that the tenders for street lights were floated and the repair works would be taken up soon. Going one step ahead, members of Jegan Homes’ Welfare Association in ward 70 sought installation of CCTV cameras under ‘Namakku Naame’ scheme, citing the rise in theft at Ellis Nagar.

DMK Councillor of ward 54 I. Noor Jahan highlighted the pressing need to clear the overflowing sewage on first and third Kazimar Street. “Residents, who are fuming over the persistent stench and unhygienic condition are ready to stage protests,” she added. A few women residing in Ellis Nagar followed suit and raised the same issue.