Citizen Connect: Ayapakkam residents urge police to function from vacant building, keep miscreants at bay

However, a building in Ayapakkam, earmarked as police station, has been lying unused for years. Now, the area covered in bushes and trees has turned into a friendly spot for anti-social elements.

The structure, located adjacent to Arignar Anna Park on Ayapakkam Housing Board road, was constructed by the developers when TNHB housing board colony was established in the locality a few years ago. While Tirumullaivoyal police used it as an out post initially, they later abandoned and constructed a small police booth at the intersection of Tonekala Camp Road and Tiruverkadu as it would help them have a better patrol on the main road and monitor vehicles.

However, with the locality having been developed over the years with thousands of houses in the area, people want the police to make use of the facility before it is ruined completely. "We understand that the police department cannot maintain the property since it was not built by them, but they can start using the building for better policing in the locality and to prevent anti-social elements from abusing the secluded place. At odd hours, it is scary to use Ayapakkam Housing Board Road as the lighting is poor and both sides are covered with trees. If the police make use of the facility, miscreants would avoid the stretch, which would ensure the public's safety," said Murugesan, a resident who also runs a tea shop in the locality.

When contacted, the Tirumullaivoyal police said that they shifted to the Tonekala Camp Road as they did not need such a big building for out post. "This was supposed to be made into a full-fledged police station dedicated to Ayapakkam. When orders for the same is passed, a new police station will be housed in the building," the police said.