Resettlement areas to get free Wi-Fi among other facilities

CHENNAI: The slum resettlement areas, including Perumbakkam and Semmenchery, will get free Wi-Fi among other facilities, as the Greater Chennai Corporation, along with other departments, is doing improvement works.

MP Azhagu Pandia Raja, city innovation officer of the Corporation, said that Wi-Fi connectivity would be provided at hospitals, schools and other government buildings so that the residents could use the Internet for free of cost. Azhagu Pandia Raja is coordinating the improvement works carried out by the civic body.

“The works are being directly monitored by the CMr’s Office. Departments including Civil Supplies and Electricity, and agencies like Metro Water, Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) and others have been asked to repair and improve their facilities in the tenements,” Pandia Raja added.

Under the project, the Corporation would repair damaged roads, storm water drains, street lights and modernise the e-seva centre. The TNSCB would strengthen the buildings and fix leaks. The government agencies are in talks with the residents to strengthen the residents’ welfare associations in every block in Perumbakkam, Semmenchery and Kannagi Nagar-Ezhil Nagar.

A few weeks ago, teams of officials visited the resettlement areas to assess the damages and decide on the improvements to be done and new facilities to be provided. “Civil Supplies Department will survey the residents and provide ration cards to those who are yet to get the cards and the Health Department will distribute CM health insurance cards. Sports facilities also will be developed in Perumbakkam,” the official said.

As a part of ensuring social security to the residents, the government would form selfhelp groups and conduct skill development sessions. It would be ensured that every household has bank account. Urban forests using Miyawaki method will also be created.

The Corporation, Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS) and Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) have commenced a project to devise a slum development plan. The civic body will select one of the slums and prepare the plan by studying it. Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) and Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) revealed that 48 per cent of persons resettled to Perumbakkam in last three years have lost jobs.