Madurai
Madurai Central Assembly constituency houses the famed Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple — the landmark around which Madurai evolved. However, for the residents of this constituency, which forms the core city, problems are aplenty.
The inconvenience endured by the public in the name of developmental projects, traffic congestion, and lack of basic civic infrastructure are some of the major grievances highlighted by the residents.
Madurai Central assembly constituency has a set of diverse voters belonging to different communities and economic groups.
For instance, the constituency has affluent voters of S.S. Colony as well as the working class voters from areas like Thathaneri and Aruldosspuram. There are also habitations of Scheduled Caste voters from Melavasal, Subramaniapuram and Simmakkal.
The four Masi streets, which form the commercial hub of the city, also fall under the Madurai Central constituency. Arapalayam, Arasaradi, Ellis Nagar, Mahaboopalayam, Ponnagaram and Sundararajapuram are some of the other areas that fall under this constituency.
A common concern that the residents echoed was the hardship that they had to endure due to the execution of smart city projects in the core city- ‘smart roads’ laid on the four Masi streets and Periyar bus stand project.
K.P. Thangavel, a resident of Melavasal, says that the delay in completion of Periyar bus stand project has caused inconvenience to hundreds of commuters in the absence of alternative arrangements made for the commuters.
There is an urgent need to establish additional number of toilets and drinking water facilities around the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple, says S. Jeeva, a trader near the temple. “Although thousands of foreign tourists visit the temple every year, no steps are taken to fulfill these basic needs of the people,” he adds.
Ashraf Tayub, Secretary of Tamil Nadu Textile Merchants Association, says that there is a need to ensure free flow of vehicular traffic and availability of adequate parking facilities for the four Masi streets.
The poor maintenance of Thathaneri cremation grounds, which functions round-the-clock, is another issue present for many years. Another issue which has remained as the ‘elephant in the room’ is the incomplete road overbridge at Palanganatham.
Interestingly, one portion of the overbridge falls under the Madurai Central constituency and the remaining portion comes under Madurai West constituency. “The bridge is now the preferred choice for walkers in TVS Nagar and nearby areas in the mornings,” points out S. Ravi, a resident of TVS Nagar.
To contest in this core city, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has fielded the sitting MLA P.T.R.P. Thiagarajan. He complains that the civic body authorities were not being transparent and disclosing information to him, as he was an MLA from the opposition party. “I am asking voters to evaluate me based on my performance in the last five years,” he adds.
He has completed around 150 projects, including construction of anganwadis, roads, new classrooms, bus stops and, installation of borewells and scan machines, under his MLA Constituency Development Fund, says Mr. Thiagarajan.
Pasumpon Desiya Kazhagam, which is in alliance with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, has fielded N. Jothi Muthuramalingam.
G.S. Sikkandar Batcha of Social Democratic Party of India, which is an ally of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, is also contesting from Madurai Central constituency. Makkal Needhi Maiam has fielded B. Mani who owns a few eateries.
