Neither here nor there, that’s Perumbakkam for you

Chennai: In Dec 2023, Sholinganallur zone in Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits got 750 crore for storm water drain works. GCC's revenue last year from the zone, which has 10 wards, was 82 crore. Just a km away, sandwiched between the corporations of Chennai and Tambaram, is Perumbakkam village panchayat, which is about the size of a ward in Sholinganallur. The panchayat generated 1.5 crore as revenue but got even less for development works, though it is organically a part of the bustling metropolis that is Chennai and home to several upmarket gated communities where each flat costs upwards of 1.5crore.

Since 2021, only 5 crore has been allocated for basic infrastructure for the panchayat, which is insufficient for even daily administrative expenses and salaries. Former additional director of municipal administration and water supply D S Sivasamy said a village panchayat will not get any underground drainage system or water facilities. "They will have to depend on private lorries," he added.

Perumbakkam panchayat lacks even basic civic amenities such as roads, stormwater drains, and street lights, and is prone to hip-deep flooding every monsoon. The 5.7km Perumbakkam Main Road, connecting Sholinganallur and Medavakkam, is full of craters and uneven surfaces. Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) work has narrowed roads and damaged the surfaces that are also covered in mud, which turns to slush when it rains.

"When an ambulance brings a patient to the hospital, especially someone who is pregnant or has suffered a stroke, life is at risk due to the bad roads and traffic," said Dr S Subramaniam, an infectious diseases expert at Global Hospitals. "The width of the roads has shrunk by several feet due to metro work," he said.

There are just 146 street lights in the panchayat, and most are defunct. Residents said they depend almost entirely on private tankers and underground motors, as there is no water supply or underground drainage network. The panchayat lacks dedicated grievance redress platforms, unlike Chennai's 1913 or Namma Chennai App.

"During 2015 and 2023 floods, water reached up to the first floor of several buildings. The water resources department has done nothing to prevent flooding. Water from the marsh enters through the culvert and floods Gandhi Nagar, Mookabigai Nagar, and Kailash Nagar," said K Sarangadoss, president of the Federation of Perumbakkam Residents Welfare Association.

T Narayanan, Perumbakkam village panchayat secretary, said there are 485 roads under their jurisdiction. "We have proposed to relay 319 badly damaged roads at a cost of 34 crore. Work will begin once the monsoon ends. For now, sand topping and wet mixture have been done on inundated stretches," he said.

Chengalpet district collector D Sneha said the Perumbakkam Main Road is under CMRL control and will be re-laid after the monsoon.

Municipal administration and water supply minister K N Nehru said permission was granted to merge only 350 panchayats though it was sought for 750. "Merging it this time would create confusion in voting booths. Once the election is over, it will be done," he said. MSID:: 125110761 413 |