Clear garbage on railway land, urge Sanatorium residents

CHENNAI: Irked over the dilapidated condition of sewage pits at Bharathamatha Street near Tambaram Sanatorium Railway Station, the residents of Tambaram Sanatorium demanded the dismantling of the sewage system. In addition, they also sought the removal of garbage around the demolished staff quarters near the railway station.

“The four sewage pits and their surroundings are unsafe and unhygienic as they are kept in an open condition. We request the concerned officials to ensure that these sewage systems are dismantled completely and plan for development works in the surrounding area,” said P Viswanathan, the convenor of the Chitlapakkam Residents Associations Coordination Committee.

“These Sewage pits existed since the 1970s and they were constructed to collect the sewage of Tambaram Railway Station, its attached offices, workshops, and around 1,100 houses at the staff quarters. Southern Railway demolished the entire Staff quarters near the station and it is now a large vacant site filled with garbage with a small portion functioning as a two-wheeler parking area,” Viswanathan added. He said that he had also written a letter to the General Manager of Southern Railway stating the issues.

“Southern Railway must make use of the railway land available in the surroundings of the Tambaram Sanatorium – Tambaram stretch for development and infrastructure works,” said S Chandrasekaran, a resident of Chitlapakkam.

When contacted, an official attached to the Chennai division of Southern Railway said that the necessary steps would be taken to solve the issues regarding the sewage pits.