Huge AIADMK banners up again, civic bodies continue blame game

Motorists and residents were in for a shock as cut-outs of AIADMK headquarters and its past and present leaders were erected from the junction of Vanagaram – Ambattur Road and Poonamallee High Road to the Shrivaaru Venkataachalapathy Palace, the meeting venue.

“Despite loss of lives because of hoardings, the ruling party doesn’t seem to have learnt any lessons. The hoardings erected outside our apartment complex are so huge that residents are fearful of stepping out,” said, Jayaprakash R, a resident of Vanagaram. Jayaprakash added that locality becomes a hub of banners and hoardings every time a political event is held in Shrivaaru hall.

A tea shop owner said that traffic snarls are common in the spot whenever banners are erected. “As the event was held today, congestion was relatively low. Had it been on a weekday, it would have been worse,” he said.

When contacted, a Corporation official of Valasaravakkam zone said there were no banners on the spot. Apart from denying this, the Greater Chennai Corporation and Thiruverkadu Municipality played blame games and both local bodies renounced the spot.

“There were no banners or party flags erected in Corporation limit from Koyambedu Bridge up to Maduravoyal Bypass Flyover. The structures erected near Vanagaram in front of Shrivaaru hall were not under Corporation limit. They fall under Thiruverkadu municipality limit,” Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said. The Thiruverkadu Municipality Commissioner also claimed that the spot is not under his jurisdiction.