Royapuram resident welfare assn form roundtable for civic issues

CHENNAI: For the development of congested labour dominated North Chennai, a group of residents welfare association comprising doctors, journalists, advocates, and teachers have started a roundtable in Royapuram.

The roundtable demands the Chennai Corporation to form area sabhas comprising social activists and professionals from different walks of life.

The round table discusses the civic issues and requirements of the residents.

The Royapuram roundtable was started as a WhatsApp group 6 years back, and has been doing services for the people in the locality.

"The southern part of Chennai has been developed with smart city projects and metro rail, north Chennai lacks such development projects, said D Ramesh, a city-based journalist.

Following the footsteps of Dr Jayachandran, the famous Rs 5 doctor in north Chennai who passed away in 2018, we have started an initiative for the welfare of North Chennai residents, Ramesh added.

As Greater Chennai Corporation has come up with area sabha's that include senior civic body authorities and civic activists, the roundtable team urges the local body officials to add them to the sabha where they can act on behalf of the general public.

One of the perennial issues faced by people in north Chennai is that, the roads being in a bad shape for a long time. Also, it would be better if GCC includes experts such as journalists, advocates and teachers in area sabhas, stated Ramesh.

A senior advocate of the Madras High Court I. Murugavel has been elected as the president, and Guru Mohan, a trade unionist as vice president.

The other office bearers are, Poet K Ramalinga Jothi, M.Sambath, former councillor of Greater Chennai Corporation.

Journalist D. Ramesh has been selected as the new general secretary of the Royapuram roundtable.

Talking about the development and infrastructure in north Chennai, civic activists fumed that despite mutiple complaints on damaged roads, no government officials inspected or acted for the same.

"This is the main reason that other people from the locality should be part of the area sabha, as we don't find the ward members being involved in getting complaints from the public, said R Sathyaraj, a civic activist in Tondiarpet.

When people like us are part of the area sabha will be able to communicate with the Chennai Corporation people about their grievances. It would also be able to voice the problem faced in north Chennai, he added.