Ranjit Road residents want Tangedco work expedited, pavement restored

Students of a special school in Chennai and residents suffer as TANGEDCO drags work at Ranjit Road

Around seven years ago, the process for creation of an accessible pavement on Ranjit Road was set in motion. The spark for that exercise by Greater Chennai Corporation came from the conversations Vidyasagar had with the civic body about how essential such a facility is for the students at the institution.

The accessible pavement became a reality, lining Ranjit Road from Vidyasagar to the junction of Ranjit Road-Gandhi Mandapam Road. Children in wheelchairs could roll down the pavement and head to the Anna Centenary Library on Gandhi Mandapam Road. Some parents would even halt their vehicles and wheel their children to the school.

Now, the pavement is light years beyond being accessible, resembling spaces around trenches from a warfront.

The trench along the pavement on Ranjit Road is the result of an ongoing cable-laying project by Tangedco, one involving the 110/33 11K.V sub station on Ranjit Road.

Ummul Khair, a staff member at Vidyasagar, notes the pavement was losing its character, having been damaged and being encroached upon. And only recently, an appeal was made to GCC to restore it to its original character as an accessible pavement.

GCC reportedly agreed to it, but could not act on its restoration plan as the Tangedco work got under way.

Ummul is among the parents and the other staff at Vidyasagar, and also the residents of Kotturpuram, who want the Tangedco work to be expedited so that GCC can get started on the project.