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Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
‘TN rooftop solar execution issues to be sorted soon'
Chennai: Glitches in implementing subsidised rooftop solar scheme (PM Surya Ghar Yojana) in Tamil Nadu are teething problems, TNPDCL officials and solar energy developers said here on Friday. The trouble shooting will soon make the scheme more inviting to consumers, they added. At the stakeholders' coordination meeting held in the city, they discussed difficulties at the application stage, problems at effecting services phase, and challenges in getting subsidy to post-installation problems. The meeting was organised by the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group in coordination with TNPDCL. TNPDCL executive engineer Karthikayini, coordinator for the rooftop solar scheme, said, "Vendors should be careful in entering the consumers' data on the portal. Wrong data would delay the release of the subsidy." Under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, the Union govt gives 30,000 as a subsidy for every kW of rooftop solar system up to 3kW. Above this, there is a subsidy of 18,000 for every kW up to 10kW. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai TN Solar Energy Developers Association treasurer L R Venkatesh said banks must fund residential welfare associations to install rooftop solar systems for common supply services in apartments. Anna University's Institute of Energy Studies former professor R Sethumadhavan said that several rooftop installations in primary health centres in districts cannot be used because they don't have a three-phase power supply. "Despite spending lakhs, the systems are not put to use. Uncontrolled high voltage, and net feed-in tariff in place of net-metering tariff are some problems that discourage people from installing rooftop solar systems," he said. Union renewable energy ministry's nodal officer Ramesh Babu said 236 crore was disbursed as a subsidy to TN as a part of rooftop solar scheme so far. "Those who applied for rooftop services before Feb 2024, and did not get the services, can reapply soon," he said. R Somesh Saravana, lead district manager from Indian Overseas Bank for Chennai district, said that many banks combine loans for rooftop solar systems along with new and existing housing loans. They do not insist on documents for up to 3kW, he added.


Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Velachery FOBs turn anti-social elements' den
Chennai: Would you use a zig-zag foot over bridge (FOB) with multiple steps and long footpaths to cross a road when a pedestrian-friendly signal is just a few steps away? Probably not—unless you're there for an early morning workout or a casual hangout. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is exactly the case with the two FOBs located on Velachery–Taramani Link Road — one near the Baby Nagar Bus Stop and the other adjacent to the Taramani 100-Feet Road Bus Stop. The FOBs were inaugurated 10 years ago by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa as part of a 30 crore project to "ease congestion" on the road, but both now wear a deserted look. They are dysfunctional and have turned into an anti-social den, with alcohol bottles and cigarette butts strewn around. The escalators do not work either. "Most pedestrians directly cross the road using the two nearby signals. Youngsters even jump across the median barriers. The footfall declined further after the escalators stopped working," said Selvi, who runs a shop near Baby Nagar Bus Stop FOB. Pedestrians flagged redundancy of the bridges, citing their complex design and long access paths. Claiming that traffic is usually manageable in the area, they said crossing at the signals was quicker and less tiring. With poor upkeep and diminishing utility, residents also raised concerns about safety and sanitation. "At night, people sleep along the path with cigarettes and beer bottles," said Ganesan, a resident of Velachery. Residents say it's better to demolish the FOBs so that the pavements can be reclaimed. However, these underused structures continue to receive funds and official backing. "People will start using the bridges once the escalators become functional. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Do you want us to demolish them just because they are not used?" asked Velachery MLA J M H Aassan Maulaana. The govt has plans to revive them. "We are planning to repair the escalators through the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme. The budget will be finalised soon," said Murugan, highways assistant engineer. "FOBs are a bad idea. These structures end up giving priority to cars while forcing pedestrians to climb and cross," said Sumana Narayanan of Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group.