Like many first-time councillors in Chennai, Ward 174 Councillor M Rathika entered grassroots politics because of the reservation for women in urban local body elections. Ward 174 was one of the wards reserved for women (general) in the 2022 local body polls. Coming from a family with a political background, she had been working on the ground with her brother for years. When the elections were announced, she was given a seat to contest and won by around 5,000 votes.
Ward 174
- Name of Councillor: M Rathika
- Party: DMK
- Age: 44
- Educational Qualification: Undergraduate
- Contact: 9445467174 / 9566165526
Excerpts from an interview:
Primary goals for Ward 174 in Chennai
What are your primary achievements after taking over as Councillor of Ward 174?
We did not have a ration shop exclusively for Ward 174 residents. The constituents of my ward had to go to the lone ration shop in the nearby ward, which was inconvenient for them. After becoming the councillor of Ward 174, I facilitated the opening of ration shops in Dhamodharapuram and Arunachalapuram. The former is already functional, while the latter will be operational soon after its inauguration. Estimates for another shop in Urur Kuppam have been sent for Greater Chennai Corporation’s approval. We are also awaiting government clearance for land to build a shop in Shastri Nagar.
How do you interact with the constituents of your ward? What kind of outreach activities have you held so far?
My contact number has been shared with all the ward residents. I have also created a WhatsApp group for grievance redressal, which includes department officials who take immediate action on the complaints made in the group. Important representatives from the residents’ welfare associations in the ward are all part of the WhatsApp group. The public could also easily approach me at my office at any time.
How have you used your Ward Development Fund of Rs 35 lakhs?
I have spent the funds on building two ration shops in my ward, Dhamodharapuram and Arunachalapuram. We have also taken up road renovations and the installation of metro water pumps in Urur Kuppam and other areas. We do not have a multi-purpose convention hall in Ward 174. The residents have to go to the nearby wards to look for such halls even for a small birthday function. As my funds will not be sufficient to build the hall, I have sought additional funds from the mayor.
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Issues in Ward 174
What are the major issues in Ward 174? What measures have you taken to address them?
The underground drainage pipelines in our ward were installed 40 years ago and can’t handle the growing load because of the increased population. Sewage from our ward flows to Besant Nagar, then to the pumping station in Indira Nagar. With sewage from three wards going to this station, it can’t process everything, leading to frequent overflows from manholes. I have requested a separate pumping station for our ward. Estimates have been made and sent to the government for approval. Once funds are allocated, the work will begin.
Flooding is pointed out as one of the major issues by your constituents. What actions have you taken to resolve it?
The stormwater drains constructed during the previous tenure have several issues with the gradient. During rains, the water in the drains tends to flow in the reverse direction resulting in waterlogging in some areas. It took time to understand the issue. We suffered a lot during the last two monsoons. We have corrected the gradient now in most areas. During this monsoon, we will closely watch the inundated areas and work on them too.
Many new food carts have come up in Besant Nagar in recent times. What have you done to regulate them?
We have been coordinating with the revenue department and GCC officials to regulate them.
Traffic congestion is high in Ward 174. What measures have you taken to address this problem?
The traffic congestion is mainly due to CMRL construction works. We have not received major public complaints about this so far. However, we have been coordinating with the traffic department to ensure the free flow of traffic.
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Vision for Ward 174
What do you hope to achieve in your term as Councillor?
I am satisfied that Ward 174 has basic amenities in place. For years now, many people in my ward have not got patta for their homes. I want to resolve this problem by the end of my tenure. I would also like to regulate the parking facilities in Elliot’s Beach and build a multilevel car parking
What do you have to say to women who aspire to come into politics?
I used to be a homemaker. Even when I was working on the ground before becoming the councillor, I did not have so much exposure. But now, I feel confident about myself and I owe it to the experience that grassroots politics gives to women. I would encourage more women to come into politics.
What the residents of Ward 174 in Chennai say:
Flooding and sewage overflow are the two major issues in the ward. “It is high time the government took up a new project to change the old sewage pipelines to bring a permanent solution,” says Subramanian, a resident of Ward 174. Similarly, the issues with flooding should be addressed scientifically, he adds.