New govt. hospital, preventing waterlogging are among my priorities, says Katpadi MLA

Katpadi MLA and diabetologist M. Sudhakar said among his several priorities for the constituency is taking steps to relieve traffic congestion in Katpadi especially between the railway station and Green Circle, a roundabout below Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH-48). Vehicles including buses and trucks get choked on the narrow Old Katpadi Road, bringing traffic movement to a grinding halt during rush hour. “Trucks and other goods laden lorries that come from Andhra Pradesh should be diverted within Chittoor limits to reach Ranipet and Kancheepuram. Currently, they travel all the way to Katpadi to go to these places. The proposal of such diversion will be taken up with the State government,” he said. Another challenge faced by residents was the lack of affordable healthcare facilities. At present, Katpadi has only one Primary Health care Centre (PHC) as against at least 250 private clinics. The recently opened Government Taluk Hospital in Sekkadu village, around 20 kms from Katpadi, has few visitors especially from urban areas as many residents said that the hospital cannot be accessed easily due to its isolated location. They have to depend on private clinics and hospitals. “Ideally, the new hospital should have been located at the centre of Katpadi after identifying adequate land. In coordination with district administration, a government hospital in Katpadi will be set up to benefit the urban populace,” Mr. Sudhakar said. Despite being laid in concrete, most of the streets in Katpadi get inundated during monsoon. It was mainly due to silt deposits in storm water drains and water channels that discharge excess rainwater into Palar river. “I have been in constant touch with Vellore Corporation to address civic concerns and formulate a long term plan for Katpadi constituency. Of the total 60 wards in the Corporation, 15 wards come under the constituency,” he said. Lack of jobs for educated unemployed youth in the constituency remains a major challenge as many of them migrate to big cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Coimbatore to work in the manufacturing sector. “A cluster of industries will be set up in the constituency, which also covers a portion of Walajah taluk in Ranipet district, to provide jobs for the local youth. A detailed plan on it is also being worked out,” he said. As part of ensuring easy access of government services to residents, the existing MLA office for Katpadi constituency will be relocated on the Katpadi Main Road for better accessibility. At present, the office is located at the centre of a residential colony that does not have transport facilities like bus services. Sudhakar has been familiar to the residents, especially patients in the Katpadi Assembly constituency for more than two decades when he started his clinic in the area in 2004. Since then, Mr. Sudhakar has earned goodwill among his visitors, mostly poor patients from faraway villages in the constituency, through timely care. His direct connection with residents has helped him to become a strong contender to contest for Katpadi seat in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly election. As a candidate of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), he defeated DMK’s general secretary and former Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan, who won six consecutive terms in the constituency since 1996, and won by a margin of 5,870 votes. “As a resident, I have been living in Katpadi for many years. Like my neighbours, I am aware of the improvement of civic amenities in the area,” said 53-year-old Mr. Sudhakar. A native of Gudiyatham, Mr. Sudhakar spent most of his early years in Yelagiri Hills, Chennai, and Tiruvannamalai where he did his entire schooling before completing medicine and moved to Katpadi.