Schools and colleges in Chennai which remained shut since Monday following cyclone Vardah reopened on Thursday as authorities were struggling to restore basic services in the metropolis.
Though the main roads like Mount Road (new name Anna Salai) and beach road have been cleared of uprooted trees and electric posts, most of the arterial and inner roads remained out of bounds for traffic because of debris an fallen trees.
School authorities themselves were apprehensive about opening schools on Thursday because the fallen trees and electric posts were yet to be cleared. “We have restored 90 per cent of power supply which was disrupted because o the cyclone. Works are progressing on a war footing to restore the entire services,” said SP Velumani, Minister for Power. But people with whom The Pioneer spoke to gave a different version. “There is no power supply in any residential areas. The entire stretch of the inner roads are yet to be cleared of debris,” said Rathinam Sunderraj, an entrepreneur staying at Nandambakkam. He said besides power failure, the residents in his region are facing drinking water shortage and dead telephones. His advice to those planning to visit Chennai is to postpone the journey at least for a week.
Kalyan, another resident, disagreed with the official version that works were progressing. “The Chennai corporation had engaged contractors to cut and clear uprooted trees.As expected the staff collected money from residents for clearing the logs. But huge piles of tree branches and waste materials werestill occupying road space leaving just a small pathway. We are getting ready to pay the scavengers who have been arranged by the corporation authorities,” he said.
Many people were of the view that the VIP areas in the city were getting preference for restoration works while the other part of the State are being ignored by the authorities.