Road cut works back to Chennai Corporation, says Mayor Priya
Councillor V Rajan, ward 143, had alleged that the CMWSSB was not properly restoring the road after it was cut for drainage connection, even after the building owners had paid the road cut charge.
Mayor R Priya at GCC council meeting (Photo: Justin George)
CHENNAI: Mayor R Priya stated that the local body would be taking back the responsibility of undertaking road cuts within the Corporation limits.
“As of now, road cut works are being initiated by the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board. However, based on allegations from ward members against the Metro Water board, the civic body will handle the road cuts from now on,” she added.
Councillor V Rajan, ward 143, had alleged that the CMWSSB was not properly restoring the road after it was cut for drainage connection, even after the building owners had paid the road cut charge. “Contractors doing the restoration of road cut works are taking money from the public, and not completing the works,” he alleged, and demanded the Mayor to re-introduce the old practice of restoring the road by the local body.
Since several councillors demanded the same, the Mayor agreed to take action to resume the responsibility of road cuts, after getting consent from the Municipal Administration Minister.
Similarly, many councillors from the south zone stated that film shootings in south Chennai were preventing the public access to roads. They asked the Mayor to regulate and make stringent parameters to grant permission. The Mayor assured that the demand would be considered with the consent from the respective department.
The council also demanded to hike the salary of workers employed in the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme. “Since workers are merely paid Rs 4,000/month, it demotivated their morale, thereby affecting the scheme from being implemented successfully,” opined the councillors.
The Mayor also directed Commissioner Kumaragurubaran to issue a circular to all GCC-run schools to provide water breaks allowing children to drink enough water. This comes in the backdrop of concerns raised by D Viswanathan, chairman, standing committee (education), that most students were not drinking enough water leading to serious health issues. She added that action was being taken to install a reverse osmosis water plant in all GCC schools.
