While roads getting damaged for cable-laying works without prior permission from authorities concerned, is a common problem throughout the city, it had gone a tad worse in the neighbourhood, as drinking water connections were disrupted due to this.
Speaking to News Today, Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavaram vice president, M Sreedhar, said, “Recently, cables were being laid at Chrompet Rajendra Prasad Road. The work was executed during midnight by a private telecom service provider using an underground drilling equipment. There was hardly any official from the Pallavaram Municipality.”
“Due to the hasty work of the employees, the drinking water pipeline to that street got damaged leading to supply immediately getting halted. This was at a time when the neighbourhood is already reeling under poor water supply. Though Municipality officials carried out the repair work, they weren’t able to complete it on time as the pipe got broken at many places. After protests by residents, it was finally resolved. How did the workers proceed at midnight without any staff from the civic body? Will any steps be taken to regulate this?,” he questioned.
In line with his words, federation president V Santhanam, said, “A number of times, I have brought this issue to the attention of the authorities, but to no avail. Telecom companies continue to violate norms and do illegal work on a daily basis, that too at night, when residents are asleep. Even a board isn’t kept near the work site to alert pedestrians to stay away. Above all, the workers have failed to show the order copy of the permission to us. We request the Municipality to make sure these activities don’t repeat in the future.”