Commercial establishments slowly taking up more space in some areas of the Madhavaram constituency indicate signs of rapid urbanisation. But the largest constituency in Tiruvallur district still presents a stark contrast between urban and rural development.
With over 4.5 lakh voters, the constituency not only consists of Madhavaram, which has been merged with the Greater Chennai Corporation, but also many local bodies that fall under the panchayat unions of Puzhal, Sholavaram and Villivakkam.
Madhavaram now has more facilities, such as a satellite inter-city bus terminus, a horticulture park and more banks and supermarkets.
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The locality, once known for mango groves and thick green cover, is slowly yielding to urbanisation. Work to improve the Red Hills lake as a recreational space and the recent development of the phase II stretch of the Chennai Metro, connecting Madhavaram and CMBT, has brought cheer among residents.
Level of infrastructure
However, the level of infrastructure development beyond Madhavaram continues to lag, noted residents. With an amalgamation of urban middle class, migrant workers and rural population, who are engaged in various occupations, the constituency represents a slice of Tiruvallur district.
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For a constituency dotted with large and small waterbodies, including Retteri, and rich groundwater potential, many panchayats are still grappling with inadequate water supply. Ground water in pockets of the constituency, such as Alamathi, Mathur and Manjambakkam, are drawn for commercial purposes by packaging drinking water units and private lorries. This has led to a drop in water quality, said V. Kamalanathan, resident of Vinayagapuram.
Madhavaram is home to lakes in Red Hills and Cholavaram that feed Chennai’s water needs. But residents in village panchayats in Puzhal and Cholavaram largely manage with ground water for want of a piped water network.
Voters demand that large waterbodies such as those in Milk Colony, Vadaperumbakkam and Padianallur be desilted and improved as recreational spaces.
Traffic congestion continues to be a major issue in the constituency, which is considered a gateway for trucks from Andhra Pradesh. Motorists have to vie for space with heavy vehicles on the stretch of GNT Road at Madhavaram junction and Red Hills junction of Tiruvallur Koot Road.
M. Jayapalan, vice-president, Red Hills Paddy and Rice Wholesale Merchants’ Association, said a dedicated parking space for trucks bringing rice from Andhra Pradesh and a flyover near the Red Hills junction would reduce congestion.
“We need a market for paddy wholesalers, like in Koyambedu. The number of rice mills have dipped. But Red Hills is still the city’s rice bowl and paddy cultivation continues in pockets of Cholavaram and Alamathi,” he said.
With 36 units and 5,000 employees, the Madhavaram leather industrial estate without any basic amenities is also crying for attention for years now. Some of the other key demands include an underground drainage network in areas including Padinallur and Naravarikuppam, and more government hospitals and upgradation of school infrastructure.
DMK stronghold
Long-time residents noted that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance traditionally has a stronghold in the constituency going by past records. Though people of different communities are spread over the constituency, those belonging to two communities — Vanniyars and Dalits — are dominant and play a crucial role in choosing the winners, said V. Anandan, CPI(M)’s Madhavaram district committee member.
In the two elections since the constituency was formed, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the DMK have won once each. This time too, the past winners — former Milk and Dairy Development Minister V. Moorthy (AIADMK) and sitting DMK MLA S. Sudharsanam — who are known faces in the constituency are competing in the election.
D. Dakshinamoorthy, former Madhavaram councillor, who contested on an AIADMK ticket last time, is also in the fray on behalf of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, while the MNM has fielded Ramesh Kondalasami.