Residents sight progress amid concerns over transport connectivity, contaminated water

Perambur constituency, which is home to some of Chennai’s oldest neighbourhoods, has the highest electorate – 2,22,792 voters – among the city’s 16 constituencies.

A fast-evolving north Chennai constituency, Perambur is witnessing development across multiple fronts even as residents flag gaps in transport connectivity, access to clean water and air, better higher education facilities, and employability.

Kodungaiyur, Vyasarpadi, and some parts of Perambur together form the Perambur constituency, which comprises dense residential localities and long-established working-class neighbourhoods.

Waste management, flooding, access to basic amenities, and transport connectivity have long been major concerns for many residents. In recent years, however, progress is visible, say a section of them. The ongoing biomining and remediation of Kodungaiyur dump yard and the upcoming Ganesapuram flyover are notable steps to tackle some of these challenges, they say.

T.K. Shanmugam, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Associations, describes the Kodungaiyur dump yard as a source of 40 years of misery for residents. “The biomining initiative is appreciable. But the proposal for a waste-to-energy plant to burn nearly 2,100 tonnes of waste will be destructive. We have made several representations to the Chief Minister and the Member of Legislative Assembly. The Greater Chennai Corporation has temporarily stopped the proposal but we want a commitment from all political parties, especially the ruling party, to drop the proposal,” he said. 

Several areas, such as Eveready Colony, Gandhi Nagar, and KKD Nagar (east and west), have been facing sewage contamination of drinking water for about eight years, he added.

A long-time resident of B Kalyanapuram in Vyasarpadi, N. Umapathy, observed that the area had witnessed noticeable development over the past five years. “The bus terminus at Mullai Nagar (MKB Nagar) was renovated and opened for use recently. The new electric buses are plying from here. Several playgrounds have been upgraded,” he said.

Like him, Praveen, another resident, noted that some of the long-pending needs of the locality were addressed recently. This included burial grounds for Hindus, Muslims, and Christians near the Kodungaiyur dump yard. “Another one is the opening of the Ezhil Nagar-Korukkupet rail overbridge that has eased traffic congestion,” he said.

Bus services and connectivity, however, lag. T. Arumugam, a resident of Kakkanji Colony, demanded more bus services to south Chennai and other areas such as Ponneri, Minjur, and Thiruverkadu. “There are at least 30,000 voters in areas including Shastri Nagar, B.V. Colony, Kakkanji Colony, Sathyavani Muthu Nagar, Old Bharathi Nagar, and Cholan Nagar. We need better transport connectivity and drinking water, and the old drainage system should be replaced,” he added.

While Mr. Umapathy raised the need to set up training centres for skill development, Mr. Shanmugam wants a government peripheral hospital to be constructed. Some residents called for measures to curb drug menace and shift/close TASMAC shops near residential localities and on highways in Vyasarpadi. “Safety of women must be a priority,” one of them said.

The incumbent MLA, DMK’s R.D. Shekar, listed the works taken up in the constituency and future plans: biomining at Kodungaiyur, construction of Ganesapuram flyover, burial grounds, flood mitigation measures, and indoor stadiums on Central Avenue Road and in Sharma Nagar. “We have also given a proposal for Metrorail connectivity from Moolakadai to Mint via Erukkancheri High Road,” he said.

A cross-section of residents observed that Perambur constituency is considered a DMK stronghold. In the last three decades, the electorate of Perambur constituency has favoured DMK and CPI(M) on three occasions each (one being a by-election in 2019) and voted for AIADMK once. With actor-turned-politician Vijay reportedly eyeing a debut here, it remains to be seen if he will make a mark.

Published – March 22, 2026 12:12 am IST