North Chennai residents seek Metro Rail connectivity via Perambur, better sanitation, and water supply facilities

A new Metro Rail route connecting several parts of North Chennai, abandoning the proposed 2,100-tonne waste-to-energy plant at Kodungaiyur, reviving micro-compost and material recovery facilities, improving drinking water and sewerage infrastructure, preventing flooding, widening roads and improving transport, resolving housing and patta issues, strengthening healthcare, developing sports and green spaces, and creating better employment opportunities were among the demands made by residents of Perambur constituency.

These demands were consolidated into a study report at a public meeting organised by Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Associations on Sunday. Federation president T.K. Shanmugam said the demands should become a government action plan.

Tamil Nadu Housing Board Chairman V. Siva received the study report, Eriyum Manitha Urimaigal (Burning Human Rights) and assured action when he addressed the gathering.

The master plan seeks to permanently close the existing 50-tonne waste-to-energy plant, abandon the proposed new plant, and complete biomining of the Kodungaiyur dumpyard. It also calls for the revival of 168 micro-compost centres and 88 material recovery facilities and implementation of the federation’s ‘Green Chennai Initiative’ as an alternative waste management plan.

The plan proposed a new Metro Rail route connecting areas, including Basin Bridge, Vyasarpadi, Sathyamurthy Nagar, M.K.B. Nagar, Erukkancheri, Moolakadai, and Madhavaram. It also sought a constituency-level master plan for drinking water and sewerage, comprehensive flood mitigation measures, housing patta and registration solutions, primary healthcare facilities in every ward, improved sports facilities and green spaces, and welfare facilities for workers.

Federation’s Senthamizh Pari spoke on areas affected by the dumpyard and the 50-tonne plant, and described it as an evidence-based document.