CHENNAI: Ambattur has undergone massive urbanisation as an offshoot of the second phase of industrialization, but the local administration has severely let down its residents and industrialists by not keeping up the pace of development.Here in Ambattur, there are no proper roads and underground drainage. Drinking water projects are incomplete and major water bodies have been encroached upon. What’s more, white-collared professionals, who migrated to Ambattur and its neighbouring areas, suffer from high air pollution. V Raju, Director of Chennai Auto Ancillary Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Company, said they were taking care of maintaining the infrastructure of the entire industrial estate, but the municipality, which is responsible for clearing garbage is least bothered about the keeping the area clean.“Many services centres of car companies, Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing companies have moved to Ambattur in the recent years. With Ambattur being merged with the Chennai Corporation, we hope some change are brought in improving the basic infrastructure,” he added.Many IT employees were residing in Mogappair West said they found it difficult to reach their office due to poor roads. “If it rained for two hours, it is very difficult to commute to office in two-wheelers. We moved to Mogappair primarily because of its proximity to Ambattur, but now we realise it is waste of our money,” said an IT employee.People residing across the 15 wards, (formed after the merger of the Municipality with the city corporation), who were frustrated with the municipal administration, are hoping for `real change’ after the election.“Soon after the government announced the election date, the local councillor covered the main road with gravel eyeing votes. For the last three years, we have been asking the councillor to repair the road, but he was least bothered then,” said the group of residents of Ward 82.J Willam (34), a local resident said the councillor never bothered about the inner lanes in the ward. “Around 10 families in the street spent Rs 5,000 from their pockets to repair the street,” he said.Similarly, the residents of Banu Nagar in Ward 52 were irritated over the poor response from the local councillor. “The roads are battered and water gets stagnated even if it rains mildly. We brought this problem to the notice of our councillor many times, but he never bothered to repair it,” said Saju Daniel (33), a resident.But two streets away from here, where the councillor resides with his family, all the roads are in good condition,” said Stanley Stephen, a member of a youth federation. “These councillors don’t bother about ordinary people. But if any builder lays a foundation stone for building new apartments, they will be the first person to go there to collect money from them,” said a local shop keeper, on the request of anonymity.In many areas in Ambattur, roads are in very bad shape. The Municipal authorities who dig the road for laying the drainage and drinking water pipe lines, have failed to relay the roads in all wards. The municipality has not even completed the drainage and drinking water pipelines.Due to work remaining incomplete in many areas, bus services have been terminated. ”Around 20,000 people are residing in Venkatapuram and they used to commute to work on MTC bus no 20B and 20H. But MTC terminated these services citing poor roads in the locality,” said a group of residents.In some areas, drinking water supply is very poor and street lights do not function properly. All these would decide the fate of the candidates in the local body election.
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