The Deccan Chronicle 09.12.2010
Miles to go for promises to keepDec. 8: Several projects aimed at improving Chennai are yet to see the light of day: the state government some time back promised several prestigious projects to improve the living conditions of Chennaiites but the projects remain on paper.
“At least half-a-dozen bridges proposed to decongest the railway level-crossings are yet to cross the half-way mark and are caught between the bureaucracy and official apathy and a few bridges promised in north Chennai are progressing at snail’s pace” says Mr Ku. Sreenivasan, legislator of Park Town constituency.
Traffic congestion has got worse and the civic body announced multi-level parking in several congested areas but the proposals are still in the primitive stage. The government has failed to improve infrastructure in several suburban areas where population influx is higher, compared to the interior parts of the city. For instance, in the past two years, suburbs like Manapakkam, Madipakkam, Valasaravakkam, Maduravoyal and Villivakkam have seen huge population influx despite these areas lacking infrastructure. There is a need to create better infrastructure but in the recent past the government has not announced any plans to improve the civic environment in these areas, opined a highly-placed source.
The city and its suburbs, upon expansion, will witness massive growth in terms of development. The formation of new wards and merger of the current divisions will help strengthen facilities in these suburbs if Greater Chennai expansion materialises, a senior corporation official said.
When contacted, mayor M. Subramanian said a majority of the projects announced by the city corporation in the past four years has been completed. There are a few projects pending like the multi-level parking and zero waste centre. Steps are being taken to complete these projects and the multi-level parking lot will become a reality within two years, said the mayor, exuding confidence. And the pending bridge works will be completed by next year, he added.
