The Hindu 02.01.2010

“Work on repairing road in K. K. Nagar will start soon”

K.T.Sangameswaran

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has submitted before the Madras High Court that work on repairing the Alagiriswamy Salai, K.K.Nagar here will start soon.

The civic body was responding to a public interest litigation petition before the Madras High Court, which said that due to lack of proper planning by the authorities, the public were put to mental agony and hardship.

In his petition, M.V.Ramani of West Mambalam said that during June last year, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board dug the centre of the entire stretch of the road for providing sewer line. The work was completed in 10 days. The agency filled the dug-up portion. In October, the board dug up the road again for laying drinking water line, knowing well that the rainy season had started. Unfortunately, there was no planning in regard to the execution of the work. His representation to the authorities under the RTI Act was returned, citing a “lame reason.”

After completing the work on providing drinking water pipe line, the authorities ought to have taken steps to relay the road to the extent of ensuring that the soil did not sink. The Chennai Corporation and the CMWSSB should maintain the road in a useful condition. The authorities had failed to discharge their duty.

His representations to the Chennai Corporation evoked no response. Hence, the present writ petition.

When the matter came up before the First Bench consisting of the Chief Justice, H. L. Gokhale, and Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar, the Corporation counsel said the road condition was because of the recent monsoon. Work order had been issued in November for repairing the road. On the instructions of the Assistant Engineer, Zone VIII, who was present in the court, he said the repair work would start soon.

The Bench said that in view of the counsel’s statement, it was disposing of the writ petition. It expected that the work would be completed within a month.