Articles by Raghukumar Choodamani

Every time motorists or pedestrians pass by Sembudoss street and Armenian street in George Town, they feel like they are part of a hurdle race that never seems to end. Apart from the fact that many of the roads in the locality are riddled with potholes, manhole covers which are protruding out on the road add to the misery of citizens. These unscientifically built structures that are quite a few inches above ground, pose a threat to commuters.  Apart from George Town, these utility hole chambers that are used for covering the underground drainage pipes, can be seen in several…

தற்போதைய நிர்வாகம் கடந்த சில ஆண்டுகளாக சென்னை முழுவதும் பல உள்கட்டமைப்பு மேம்பாட்டு நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது. இந்த நேரத்தில் சாலைகள் புதுப்பிக்கப்பட்டு மழைநீர் வடிகால் (SWDs) கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளன. பெரம்பூர் சுற்றுப்புற மேம்பாட்டு மன்றத்தின் உறுப்பினர்கள், உள்ளாட்சி அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் ஒப்பந்ததாரர்களுடன் நெருக்கமாக ஈடுபட்டு, சென்னையில் மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் குடிமராமத்து பணிகளின் தரத்தை கண்காணித்து, அவை நிர்ணயிக்கப்பட்ட தரத்தில் உள்ளதா என்பதை உறுதி செய்து வருகின்றனர். வீதிகள் அமைப்பது உட்பட பல வேலைகளை மேற்கொள்ளும் போது, ​​குடிமைப் பிரிவினரும், ஒப்பந்ததாரர்களும் உரிய நடைமுறைகளைக் கடைப்பிடிக்கத் தவறிவிட்டனர் என்பதே இந்த நேரத்தில் எங்களின் அவதானிப்பு. எங்களால் மேற்கொள்ளப்படும் கண்காணிப்பின் பல நிகழ்வுகளில் தரமற்ற பொருட்கள் மற்றும் தரமற்ற வேலைப்பாடு ஆகியவற்றில் சிக்கல்கள் உள்ளன. Read more: North Chennai roads turn into an obstacle course for commuters சென்னையில் உள்கட்டமைப்பு மேம்பாட்டு பணிகள் தணிக்கையின் போது மோசமான சாலை தரம் காணப்பட்டது தமிழக தலைமைச் செயலாளர், தமிழக முதல்வர்…

Our river beds are mined and mountains are being destroyed continuously to build new roads and restore the existing ones all over the country. Indiscriminate & excessive mining can lead to deforestation, soil erosion and water pollution. This can result in the destruction of habitats for wildlife, which can have serious ecological consequences in the long term. However, sustainability is an aspect that is not often considered when carrying out civic work in Chennai and across the country. While infrastructure development is crucial to achieving economic growth, what we are getting to see is temporary cosmetic makeovers. There is no…

The current administration has undertaken several infrastructure development activities across Chennai over the last few years. Roads have been resurfaced and stormwater drains (SWDs) have been constructed during this time. The members of the Perambur Neighborhood Development Forum have been engaging closely with the local authorities and contractors to monitor the quality of the civic work carried out in Chennai and ensure that they are up to prescribed standards. Our observations in this time have been that the civic body and the contractors have failed to properly adhere to processes when it comes to several works including the laying of roads.…

In a previous story, I highlighted how various streets of North Chennai have turned into an obstacle course for motorists due to road works. But bad roads are not the only issue that one faces in these parts. Blatant encroachment of footpaths has been a problem that continues to remain unaddressed. Pedestrians are treated as second-class citizens across the city. More so in areas where there are mixed-used zones where there are many commercial establishments. Many such streets are present where these shops and eateries have taken over footpaths, leaving pedestrians to jostle for space on the already poorly laid…

Battered roads have become the new norm across the city of Chennai. Roads that were resurfaced over a couple of months ago are now ridden with potholes and craters. At every 10 to 50 metres, commuters are bound to stumble upon a road cut or a pothole or speed breaker or a manhole cover which is at least four to six inches higher than the surface of the road.  The reasons stated for poor roads have been that there is ongoing development work such as the construction of the metro rail or the creation of stormwater drains. As a result of…

On August 6 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the renovation of 508 stations across the country including the Perambur railway station. As per reports Rs 17.86 crores has been allotted to renovate the second oldest Railway Station in Chennai. The proposed renovation will include the construction of new buildings which will accommodate ticket booking counters, a waiting hall, a VIP lounge, new toilets, retail vending units, cloakrooms, office spaces etc.  Additionally, provisions have been made to include lifts, escalators, restoration of the existing foot-over bridge, more benches, CCTV surveillance, water taps, solar power units, LED…

Queuing up to buy Aavin milk from the milk booths makes a quintessential Chennai morning for many of us.  However, recent steps introduced by the state government have made it difficult for many customers to be able to continue buying Aavin milk in the city. What I assumed was a simple exercise to link my Ration card and Aadhar information with the milk cards issued by Aavin turned out to be a much more complicated exercise that laid bare the failings of the system.  Read more: How to get your Aadhaar card in Chennai Chaos reigns at Aavin office When…

Tamil Nadu generates a whopping Rs 44,000 crores in revenue from the Government owned TASMAC liquor stores every year. It is truly unfortunate that these shops have turned into a key source of revenue for the state as their adverse effect on the populace is not quantifiable. Making the entire situation even more unpalatable is the location of such shops across the state. Residential neighbourhoods which were once peaceful have seen great disruptions due to the presence of TASMAC shops.  One such area is in Perambur where three TASMAC shops operated within 100 mts, making the lives of residents increasingly…

While much of Chennai enjoys the benefits of privatised Solid Waste Management (SWM), the Zones managed by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) have faced issues such as a shortage of equipment and manpower. As different agencies have managed solid waste in these Zones over the years, the present state of affairs calls for a switch to a more efficient, privatised system of waste management for the greater good.  History of SWM in Perambur The conservancy services in Perambur in Zone 6 used to be handled by the government for several decades post-independence. As a young kid, I recall the conservancy…