The Times of India 25.05.2010
Chennai Corporation okays widening of Arcot Rd
CHENNAI: The elected council of the Chennai Corporation on Monday gave the go ahead for widening of Arcot Road (NSK Salai) between Doraiswamy Street and Pillaiyar Koil Street, which has remained a bottleneck for long. The widening will help resolve congestion during peak hours which result in pile-ups up to Jawaharlal Nehru Salai.
Moving the resolution in the council, Mayor M Subramanian said that about 190 sq mt of land will be acquired from private individuals through the district collectorate. "There has been a huge demand to widen the stretch, especially near Doraiswamy Street, where the road is very narrow. This results in congestion along Kodambakkam High Road," Subramanian said. The plan is to widen the road by 1.5 metres for a length of 120 metres.
The council also approved IVRCL Infrastructures and Projects Ltd, the contract firm identified for the construction of flyover at Mint Junction in Tondiarpet. The project costing Rs 19.04 crore will be executed in 18 months. Unlike other projects, the contractor has been entrusted the job to shift water/sewer lines, construct storm water drains and relay roads.
This will help speedy construction of the flyover, or else the shifting of lines by other government agencies, including TNEB, will prolong the project. Metrowater will give away construction materials to the contractor who will bring in his labourers to execute the shifting work. The contractor has to keep the Metro Rail alignment in mind and prepare his designs, officials said.
Earlier, BSP floor leader V Prabhu complained that Metrowater staff were not responding properly to complaints of clogged sewers. The member alleged that despite making repeated calls to officials for more than a month, none of them took action to cleare the lines in Pulianthope. "Sewage is overflowing from several manholes in the area. Officials are often not reachable on their official mobile phones.
MLA local area development funds to the tune of Rs 80 lakh remain unused for more than four years, Mylapore MLA S Ve Shekher said. Participating in the zero hour debate, Shekher said the sum was allocated for setting up a gasifier crematorium in Kailasapuram burial ground. Shekher drew the attention of the council to check the wall graffiti menace in Mylapore, which had given prominence to local councillors.
The corporation's move to concretise the roads in slums also came under flak. PMK councillor Elumalai said this was of no use, as several agencies, including TNEB and Metrowater, often damage roads in the name of repairing cables and water and sewer lines. In a majority of cases, roads were not restored properly, for want of funds. In the absence of provisions like storm water drains, the concrete roads also led to inundation of adjoining buildings.
If private schools are reluctant to follow the new fee structure imposed by the state government, the corporation should waste no time in fixing property tax on them, Opposition leader Saidai P Ravi said. Following objections from members of PMK and Congress, the local body had recently adopted a resolution revoking the clause on tax exemption benefits.
Moving the resolution in the council, Mayor M Subramanian said that about 190 sq mt of land will be acquired from private individuals through the district collectorate. "There has been a huge demand to widen the stretch, especially near Doraiswamy Street, where the road is very narrow. This results in congestion along Kodambakkam High Road," Subramanian said. The plan is to widen the road by 1.5 metres for a length of 120 metres.
The council also approved IVRCL Infrastructures and Projects Ltd, the contract firm identified for the construction of flyover at Mint Junction in Tondiarpet. The project costing Rs 19.04 crore will be executed in 18 months. Unlike other projects, the contractor has been entrusted the job to shift water/sewer lines, construct storm water drains and relay roads.
This will help speedy construction of the flyover, or else the shifting of lines by other government agencies, including TNEB, will prolong the project. Metrowater will give away construction materials to the contractor who will bring in his labourers to execute the shifting work. The contractor has to keep the Metro Rail alignment in mind and prepare his designs, officials said.
Earlier, BSP floor leader V Prabhu complained that Metrowater staff were not responding properly to complaints of clogged sewers. The member alleged that despite making repeated calls to officials for more than a month, none of them took action to cleare the lines in Pulianthope. "Sewage is overflowing from several manholes in the area. Officials are often not reachable on their official mobile phones.
MLA local area development funds to the tune of Rs 80 lakh remain unused for more than four years, Mylapore MLA S Ve Shekher said. Participating in the zero hour debate, Shekher said the sum was allocated for setting up a gasifier crematorium in Kailasapuram burial ground. Shekher drew the attention of the council to check the wall graffiti menace in Mylapore, which had given prominence to local councillors.
The corporation's move to concretise the roads in slums also came under flak. PMK councillor Elumalai said this was of no use, as several agencies, including TNEB and Metrowater, often damage roads in the name of repairing cables and water and sewer lines. In a majority of cases, roads were not restored properly, for want of funds. In the absence of provisions like storm water drains, the concrete roads also led to inundation of adjoining buildings.
If private schools are reluctant to follow the new fee structure imposed by the state government, the corporation should waste no time in fixing property tax on them, Opposition leader Saidai P Ravi said. Following objections from members of PMK and Congress, the local body had recently adopted a resolution revoking the clause on tax exemption benefits.
