Residents of the Melavasal Housing Board complex in Madurai have staged a protest, expressing their dissatisfaction with the maintenance of the housing complex by the Madurai Corporation. The complex, home to around 4,500 residents, has been facing issues like a leaky underground drainage system, foul odours, and accumulating garbage. The residents handed over the maintenance responsibility to the Madurai Corporation in 2016-17. However, they complain of poor sanitation and inadequate cleaning efforts. Tensions are rising, and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party has threatened road picketing if the issues are not resolved, highlighting the urgency of addressing residents' concerns.
Residents of the Melavasal Housing Board and members of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party staged a protest last week, expressing their deep dissatisfaction with the Madurai Corporation's lacklustre maintenance of the housing board complex. The complex, which houses approximately 4,500 residents in 1,076 units near the Periyar Bus Stand, has been plagued by issues such as a leaky underground drainage network, a pervasive stench, and accumulating garbage within the premises.
Constructed in 2013, the Melavasal Housing Board complex was officially handed over to its residents the following year. In a subsequent move, the responsibility for solid waste management within the complex, as well as services like underground drainage and drinking water connections, was transferred to the Madurai Corporation during the 2016-17 financial year.
The sorry state of affairs within the housing board complex has raised significant concerns among its inhabitants. Many open drainage canals within the premises are obstructed by solid waste, while underground drainage networks are suffering from blockages due to pipeline silting. Residents complain that while most of the sanitary workers employed by the corporation reside in the complex, the cleanliness of their own residential area is still deplorable. This is primarily due to the inadequate number of sanitary workers assigned to the complex and a lack of comprehensive cleaning efforts in recent months.
The dire condition of the Melavasal Housing Board complex paints a distressing picture of the living conditions endured by its residents. As tensions rise, it remains to be seen whether the Madurai Corporation will respond to the residents' grievances and take decisive action to rectify the situation. The threat of road picketing by the VCK serves as a clear indication of the mounting frustration within the community, and it underscores the urgency of addressing these pressing issues for the sake of the residents' well-being and the overall liveability of the Melavasal Housing Board complex.
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