Muthialpet residents resort to road blockade

Puducherry, July 16 (UNI) Residents of Muthialpet, led by DMK Legislator Nanda Saravanan, today resorted to a road blockade on the East Coast road at Muthialpet, demanding that the work on cement roads in two streets there be expedited and the Muthialpet market building, which was on the verge of collapse, be repaired.

Mr Saravanan said that despite assurances by the Chief Minister on the floor of the Assembly, no efforts had been made to get the works done.

On hearing the news, Municipality Executive Enginer and Assistant Engineer rushed to the spot and assured the agitators that the works would be completed within a week, following which the stir was called off.

Traffic was disrupted in Muthialpet for over half an hour, following the agitation.

Meanwhile, the 457 NMR employees with the Public Works department here picketed the office of the PWD Chief Engineer to press their demand of early clearing of wage arrears as 57 workers were not paid for the last one and a half years and the rest for five months.

PWD Chief Engineer Chandrapal Singh held talks with the employees' representatives and assured them to take up the matter with the Finance Secretary this afternoon, following which they deferred the agitation.

UNI PAB GD 1325