Ministers enquire delay in completion of Perambur flyover

By R. K. Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI, JULY 18. The AIADMK Government today sidestepped the Chennai Corporation Council and directly enquired on the progress of work on the Perambur flyover.

The Local Administration Minister, Mr. C. Durairaj, and the Electricity Minister, Mr. D. Jayakumar, inspected the flyover along with partymen, Opposition Councillors and Corporation officials.

The Corporation Commissioner, Mr. J. T. Acharyulu, the Additional Commissioner, Mr. P. R. Sampath, and senior officials including the Chief Engineer, Mr.Bhoopal, explained at the site the reasons for the delay even as Mr. Durairaj and Mr. Jayakumar cross- questioned the engineers and officials.

Asked if this signalled the Government's desire to take over construction, Mr. Durairaj said the Government was still examining the various options to speed up the construction. Butting in, one official remarked that the Corporation was also part of the Government.

Mr. Durairaj said the Government was ``forced'' to undertake the inspection as it had received many complaints and also the people were affected.

Asked if this amounted to interference in the functioning of the civic body, he said that was not the case. In the final analysis, it was people who mattered, and in this case, people were being subjected to untold hardship, he said.

There was no substance in the Chennai Mayor, Mr. M. K. Stalin's complaint that the AIADMK Government stood in the way of completion of projects. In this case, work came to a standstill in March, even before the general elections, he said.

The Mayor was merely finding excuses for his inefficiency and non-performance, he added. Referring to the flyover, Mr. Jayakumar claimed that this was the only flyover which would have been of use to the people. ``All the remaining have been built around Mr. Karunanidhi's house for his convenience,'' he said.

The civic body had incurred a huge cost-escalation on the project and it was not in a position to complete the works before the local body elections, the Ministers said.

Officials said it would cost Rs. 34 crores now to complete the project, instead of the earlier Rs. 21 crore.

The Leader of the Opposition in the council, Mr. P. Vetrivel, created a mild flutter when he took the Minister to the protruding steel rods to stress his point that sub-standard quality of steel was used in the construction. ``We were told that CRS Tiscon bar was being used. This steel is Vizag steel, which has higher carbon content,'' he told the Minister. ``This means that the steel is more prone to corrosion,'' he added.

The Mayor and the Ruling DMK were neither informed nor invited for the inspection, it is said. ``The Mayor does not inform even the local MLA or councillor when he undertakes an inspection in an area. This happened even the last time when he came to the Perambur flyover. Hence he was also not invited,'' said Mr. Thiagarajan, the AIADMK leader.

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