CHENNAI: Eight years after DMK chief MK Stalin and former Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy locked horns for the Kolathur Assembly segment, over 200 families who had been far from the noise continue to bear the brunt. For almost a decade now, the Corporation community hall constructed for the benefit of residents in Nammalwarpet near Otteri, has been housing the ballot units that were used in the 2011 elections. 

The hall was sealed after Duraisamy filed a petition alleging misuse of State machinery by Stalin. Though the case was dismissed a year ago, in June 2017, the building remains sealed and guarded by a police personnel. Most of Nammalwarpet residents belong to economically weaker sections. With the community hall no more serving the community, residents have no choice but spend a few thousand rupees extra to rent private halls to host their family functions.   

“It costs just Rs 15,000 to host a wedding at the community hall,” says Govindasamy R, a resident of Subbarayan first street. “This includes the money spent on hall rent, catering and other works.” Speaking to Express, the police personnel guarding the building says there are three persons deployed to guard the spot, and they work in rotational shifts. Corporation community halls can seat about 200 people and the tariffs are nominal: Rs 4,500 for a full day and Rs 2,250 for half day. The closest community hall available now for Nammalwarpet residents is the one in VOC Nagar, Pulianthope. 

“They could have kept the ballot units anywhere. I don’t know why they chose to deprive us of this hall for so many years,” says Sadanandan P, a resident. When contacted, a Corporation official said that the issue would be looked into.