Gummidipoondi was a village in north Chennai, which remained on the fringes of the city’s development.
Falling in Tiruvallur district, it has an industrial park, government hospital, and railway station. But its infrastructure is poor, says S. Suresh Babu. Mr. Babu, an advocate, has been residing here for more than 30 years and has seen the growth of the locality over the years.
Mr. Babu says Gummidipoondi village became a town after it was made a taluk, in 1972, comprising 90 revenue villages, 61 panchayats, and a town panchayat. The development started with the establishment of the SIPCOT industrial park in 1983, which now employs more than 15,000 persons.
Demand conceded
He is also the president of the Billakuppam Village Residents’ Welfare Association, and has been involved in social welfare activities. The Tamil Nadu government established a government hospital after the residents and the elected members made the demand in 1993, pointing to the huge working-class. But the hospital lacks essential facilities like emergency care and a mortuary.
He says many residents with kidney failure travel to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for dialysis. However, after he wrote to the Health Department, the government sanctioned four dialysis machines which are operational.
Though the SIPCOT industrial park has provided jobs to hundreds of youngsters, a major concern for the residents is the pollution that has affected the overall environment of the town.
Inadequate public transport
Over the years, the population has increased, but the residents suffer from the absence of a good bus terminus, adequate suburban train services, an electric crematorium, and a post office. The town also needs a government arts and science college as thousands of students depend on private colleges or travel a long way to pursue higher education.
The bazaar, located on the Grand Northern Trunk Road, has been a shopping hub for thousands of residents of various villages. But it has been affected by encroachments. Following the representation made by the residents to the State Highway Department, officials removed hawkers and encroachments.
Mr. Babu has also been campaigning for improving public transport, increasing the suburban train services and the amenities at the Gummidipoondi railway station, and constructing a bus terminus at Gummidipoondi. He has sent several petitions to Southern Railway for speeding up the renovation of the railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
(As told to R. Srikanth)
Published – March 23, 2025 11:18 pm IST
