Madhumitha Viswanath By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The necessity of Aadhaar is still a hot debate. But for these 15 families of ex-servicemen, they may not even be able to enter their own houses without producing the Aadhaar card. The reason is that their houses are encircled by the campus of the Indian Army's Officers Training Academy at St Thomas Mount. For last three years, the Army has put an additional outpost which the residents have to clear to reach their homes. Every time Adhaar card has to be produced. Sometimes, the security personnel accept other government identity documents too.

But when Express spoke to the residents, this seems to the one of the lesser problems. The security personnel does not allow anyone else to their houses starting from postman, LPG cylinder deliveryman to even ambulances.

Residents said they are not encroaching or trying to usurp defense property. Their ancestors who worked in the Army and had bought four grounds back in 1911. Their street is called Battery Lane. They have even patta for their property. Over the years this was passed on to their children and grandchildren.

The subsequent establishment of the Officers Training Academy in the area also did not affect them much. But when in 2016 the Army installed an outpost and started checking every person entering the

area, their every lives changed much.

Everytime residents try to go back home after work or after running an errand, they are stopped by defense personnel and asked to show their Aadhaar cards. Since even the electricity board staff are not allowed to reach the houses, the residents are forced to take down electricity meter readings by themselves. They have to fetch the LPG cylinder from the main road from the delivery man. Also, as the postman cannot come inside, letters are delivered to an alternate address neaby.

When Express visited the spot, a live electricity cable was lying in a puddle of water. Residents said after heavy rains on Tuesday night the cable snapped at Battery Lane in St Thomas Mount. Ever after repeated complaints, Tangedco workers hesitated to rectify the problem as they the defense personnel do not allow them to enter.

“We have already submitted photographs of all our family members, photocopy of our Aadhaar cards among other documents. But even after this, we cannot pass the security gate. If they come back late from work after 10 pm, they aren't allowed to enter inside,” said Dinesh Kumar, who shifted his house to Kalaignar Nagar nearby due to the lack of basic amenities here.

Another long-time resident Uma G who is in her early 80s had to walk till the main road in the night when she had a bout of wheezing two months ago. As even ambulances or other civilian vehicles aren’t

allowed inside, she had to walk till Tulasingapuram main road to catch an auto to the hospital.

“After I was discharged from the hospital I was not allowed to go inside by the defense personnel. As they keep changing, new guards did not recognise me and asked for my ID proof which was at home. After waiting for an hour I could finally go in after the old guard came,” she said.

Though residents have sent repeated written complaints to the commandant of the academy, they have received no response or relief so far. “Many people who live here work in the academy. But they don’t

want to provide us with any basic amenities. Our houses are in dilapidated condition. Our roofs have been leaking for years. But they won’t let us bring construction material inside in vans. None of our

friends or relatives can visit us freely. It’s a nightmare living here,” said R Senthilkumari.

An Army official told Express that the academy officials was not aware of any livelihood problems faced by these residents and said they will look into the issue. Though many attempts were made to contact the commandant of the academy, he couldn’t be reached for a comment.