The residents of the village near Ambur oppose Tangedco’s decision to relocate the position

The residents of the periyankuppam village organize a Roko road in Alankuppam Main Road on Saturday.

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The residents of the village of Peryankuppam, near Ambur, organized on Saturday a Roko road on the main road of Alankuppam against Tangedco’s attempt to relocate their office in the Aldkuppam village.

Most villagers prefer to register complaints related to electricity, make invoices payments and request new connections and agricultural subsidies directly in the office, since they are not familiar with the online process. Tangedco’s office is in the heart of the town, which makes it more accessible to them.

“The plan to relocate the local Tangedco office will give consumers of difficulties, especially the elderly, since they cannot travel to the new office, which is proposed to establish about a kilometer of the current office,” B. Vasanthi, a resident.

The office serves at least six remote villages, including Alankuppam, Solur, Kannadikuppa and a part of the Nayakaneri village with around 8,000 consumers.

However, Tangedco has incurred a monthly rental of ₹ 5,000 for the office that has been operating from a rented building for almost a decade.

The authorities say they have been looking for buildings that could be used at no cost for many years to reduce expenses.

The search ended when last year AlankuppamPanchayat offered a new building for free. With funds from the Block Development Office, the building was renewed by the local Panchaat at a cost of ₹ 30 Lakhs. The Panchayat supposedly made the proposal that it is convenient for its residents to repair their complaints.

Subsequently, Tangedco’s local officials obtained a wink from their superiors to relocate in the new building as soon as possible.

The periyankuppamresidents say they came to know the relocation only when Tangedco officials were looking for a auspicious day to inaugurate the new office.

On Saturday, residents blocked the key section, obstructing traffic on the route for more than two hours. They dispersed after the conversations with the police and the income officials.

“Tangedco is ready to work in the town of periyankuppam if we have a free building. Otherwise, we have to move to a new building in the neighboring village according to the instructions of the higher officials, ”said a Tangedco official.