Tirunelveli Corporation earmarks ₹30 cr. for repairing roads damaged by UGD work

Tirunelveli Corporation Council meeting under way on Thursday (October 29, 2026). | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The Tirunelveli Corporation, which is flooded with petitions from the public and the councillors about pathetic condition of the roads damaged during the execution of underground drainage (UGD) work, has finally earmarked ₹30 crore to repair the roads.Raising this issue in the Corporation’s Council meeting here on Thursday, Palayamkottai Zonal Chairman M. Francis said the “failed UGD project” had tormented the public instead of providing them relief. Even as this “useless scheme” was dragging for decades without any significant progress, the roads dug for laying UGD pipes were causing accidents.Since the Corporation could not even repair the roads, the people’s ordeals continued, said Mr. Francis, who was supported by Melapalayam Zonal Chairperson Kathija Iqlam Fazila, councillor Ramzan Ali and a few others.When the members wanted to know the deadline for completing Phases 2 and 3 of the UGD project and the schedule for road repair, the officials said ₹30 crore had been earmarked in the first phase for repairing the roads.“Because of non-availability of funds, we cannot start the road repairing work now,” the officials said.Mayor G. Ramakrishnan said the Corporation’s general funds could be utilised for this work.The councillors, particularly those belonging to the DMK, also came down heavily on the private agency chosen by the previous DMK government for sanitation operations.“Even as the clogged UGD pipes are causing sewage overflow via manholes, tonnes of garbage is strewn around along all the streets of Melapalayam Zone. We cannot tolerate it anymore,” said Ms. Kathija.Councillor Pavulraj charged that utter darkness was enveloping all Corporation parks as no light was functional there after dusk.“Even as the private contract firm is not properly removing garbage every day, the Corporation has proposed to increase the contract amount by 10%, which should be withdrawn. The contract firm, which is cheating the sanitation workers by not properly paying their EPFO contributions after deducting them from their wages and refusing to give ESIC benefits to them, should be sent out,” Mr. Pavulraj said.Mr. Ramakrishnan said the Corporation would reconsider its decision to give sanitation operations to the private firm again.Mr. Pavulraj’s plea for renovating Shanthi Nagar clock tower without altering its ancientness was also accepted. Published - October 29, 2026 08:25 pm IST