For the residents of the Chennai Central constituency, the expectation from their candidates is the promise that they will resolve a host of issues they have been facing for years — from severe traffic congestion to water scarcity.
As the city grapples with a looming water crisis, the situation is no different for residents of Royapettah too. S. Krishnaveni, a resident of Nayar Varadha Pillai Street in Royapettah says, “Every alternate day, I fetch five plastic pots of water and have to make do with this. Sometimes, I have to take leave from work, and sit here, waiting to get water. If we don’t receive water in our street tap, we walk to the next street. How long can we continue to survive like this?”
Similar scenes unfold in Villivakkam and Purasawalkam, where residents stand in serpentine queues on streets waiting to fetch water.
Sewage problem
In addition, they also suffer sewage blocks and mixing of sewage water with drinking water.
“Every now and then, we have to go and complain to the authorities. And if there is a spell of heavy rain, there is waterlogging for days,” M. Lakshmi, a resident of Villivakkam.
Commuters and residents of this constituency that comprises Thousand Lights, Chepauk-Triplicane, Anna Nagar, Egmore and Harbour, have been fighting traffic congestion for years now.
Though Anna Nagar, Egmore and Anna Salai have got Chennai Metro connectivity in recent years, it hasn’t made any significant difference in taking people off the roads. Also, though the trains are up and running, Chennai Metro has not restored the road space taken over for construction in Anna Salai.
This problem of traffic congestion is further exacerbated in Chepauk, Triplicane and Royapettah where illegal parking has become a menace and many bikes and cars are either parked on the roads or sometimes, on the footpath itself.
S. Rajamanickam, who runs a small hotel in Besant Road says, “There is a primary school in this area and children are forced to walk in this narrow space. Plus, there is a huge garbage bin which perennially overflows. At least for the sake of children, the authorities should understand the seriousness of this issue and resolve it.”
While traffic congestion persists in Anna Nagar too, residents say, share autos make it worse.
V. Nagasundaram of Anna Nagar Residents Association says, share autos haphazardly stop in bus stops and near bus depots which means, passengers struggle to board the bus; they should have designated stops in areas.
This constituency was a DMK bastion for years together but AIADMK seized the seat last time.
Tall promises
All candidates who have been campaigning have made tall promises to turn things around in this constituency.
DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran wants to build more desalination plants and ensure better rainwater harvesting practises are implemented. The PMK’s S. R. Sam Paul says he will look at resolving the water crisis and infrastructure requirements in some areas.
The debutante in politics Kameela Nasser who represents Makkal Needhi Maiam promises better security for women and that she would resolve the civic issues in the constituency.
