Damaged road causes accident risk
Damaged portions of the 14-km ghat section on Pachaimalai hills from Shobanapuram checkpost to Top Sengattupatti cause risk of accidents. Residents of Kambur, Solamathi, Thaneerpallam, and Boothakkal in Tiruchi district and Nallamathi, Mayambadi, Periyanagoor, Chinnanagoor, Kodungal, Odaikadupidur in the jurisdiction of Salem district face sufferings on a daily basis. Passengers utilising the thrice-a-day service operated by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation from Thuraiyur bus stand and a sole service from Athur in Salem district also experience the discomfort of numerous potholes. Overgrowth of vegetation on the sides has made matters worse for two-wheeler riders whenever they are required to cross or overtake buses. There is a compelling need for laying a strong road along the 14-km stretch with parapet in the interests of passenger safety.
Saravanan Natesan,
Puthanampatti
Mud piles pose problems
Large piles of dug-out mud left unlevelled after laying underground drainage pipelines pose enormous difficulties for residents of Visvas Nagar in Karumandapam. Since the quantum of soil is huge, the residents are unable to clear it by themselves. There is a collective opinion among the residents that the contractors responsible for levelling the surface ought to be held answerable.
R. Pichai Pillai,
Karumandapam
Eateries shrink pedestian path
The mushrooming growth of eateries, meat stalls and other shops on the eastern side of the stretch between Sundar Nagar Hostel and Sabari Mills bus stops has shrunk the path for pedestrians. Presence of street dogs keeps two-wheeler riders on their toes while taking the path. One wonders why these shops are permitted on the busy road. Some seem to have erected temporary shelters too, warranting prompt intervention by the authorities. The law-enforcing authorities should ascertain the state of affairs for themselves by installing CCTV camera.
P.K. Raman,
Ayyappa Nagar
Protective measures important
While vaccines are an important tool in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, and there is a need to scale up vaccination, the public also have the responsibility of taking protective measures. Wearing of masks, maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowded, closed and confined setting, and ensuring hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette are of equal importance.
M.A. Aleem,
Tiruchi
Rather late recognition
Conferment of Padma Shri award this year to Clarinet maestro A.K.C. Natarajan has come rather late given the fact that he had introduced the western instrument to Carnatic music way back in the fifties, akin to what Kadri Gopalnath did for Saxophone in the eighties.
The clarinet maestro along with his brother AKC Venugopal enthralled audiences all over South India and received innumerable awards, including Kalaimamani. He was associated with almost all Sabhas in Chennai- Tamil Isai Sangam, Naradha Gana Sabha, Krishna Gana Sabha and Music Academy etc. Rasikas strongly feel the nonagenarian deserves Padma Bhushan.
A.V. Narayanan,
Thillainagar
Worn-out road irksome
The road condition in Kaliya street in Kumbakonam has turned bad. Residents of the locality undergo much inconvenience and trouble during their daily commute. None seems to remember when a proper road was laid the last time. Students of a couple of schools in the vicinity undergo difficulty every day due to the poor condition of the road, which is also the route to the Kumbakonam bus stand and railway station for pedestrians and motorists from Mathulampettai and those residing beyond the railway gate in areas such as Anaikarampalayam and Srinivasa Nagar.
Ganesh Babu,
Kumbakonam
