Thousand Lights: a developed neighbourhood that struggles with parking chaos, traffic snarls

The Thousand Lights Assembly segment, one of the most developed areas in the heart of Chennai, reflects the city’s iconic past as well as its rapidly transforming urban character.

The Assembly segment comprises parts of Teynampet and T. Nagar, as well as Mahalingapuram, Trustpuram, Choolaimedu, Nungambakkam, Poes Garden, Parthasarathypuram, and Gopalapuram, where people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds reside. It is also home to several iconic places, including Anna Flyover, Valluvar Kottam, Music Academy, Kalaignar Centenary Park, Semmozhi Poonga, St. George’s Cathedral, and Thousand Lights Mosque.

By virtue of its key location, the Thousand Lights Assembly segment has long been at the epicentre of vibrant political activity. The presence of the headquarters of major political parties such as the DMK, AIADMK, BJP, CPI, and CPI(M) within it has made it a focal point over the decades.

The constituency also carries a rich political legacy. In the past, DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa were voters here, while the area continues to be home to several prominent personalities, including Tamil ‘superstar’ Rajinikanth. Before moving to Kolathur, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin contested six times from this Assembly constituency and won four times.

What residents want

Residents across various localities in this Assembly segment have flagged traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours, unregulated parking, and ageing civic infrastructure as major concerns. The constituency has several old narrow streets and large arterial roads such as North Usman Road, Gopathy Narayana Salai, Anna Salai, Cathedral Road, Kodambakkam High Road, and Sterling Road, flanked by densely populated residential localities and government offices.

V. Karthik, a resident of Gopalapuram, said the area is flanked by many educational institutions and during peak hours, vehicles are parked encroaching on roads in residential localities. Traffic congestion remains a major problem on Avvai Shanmugham Salai, Conran Smith Road, and Padmavathi Road, he said.

For K. Gunasekar, a resident of Parthasarathy Vinayagar Temple Street, behind Music Academy, there is an immediate need to revamp the old sewer networks. He said clogging of underground drainage and intermittent supply of drinking water to nearly 200 households in his locality remains a concern. He said he had raised the issue several times in area sabha meetings, but it remains unresolved.

According to G.G. Jayaraman, a member of the Mahalingapuram Residents Welfare Association, speed breakers have to be installed on Mahalingapuram Main Road near the Aavin Junction, to control rash driving and to facilitate senior citizens in crossing the road. Residents of the area also wanted all MTC buses plying on the road to stop at the Mahalingapuram bus stop.

Further, residents also flagged the issue of poor roads in several main roads in Nungambakkam and Choolaimedu locality and demanded the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) work to be expedited to reduce traffic congestion. Some residents also said their grievances were promptly resolved by officials through inter-departmental coordination when taken up with the MLA N. Ezhilan.

Development works

Dr. Ezhilan, a first-time MLA, said in the last five years, 1,000 Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements have been handed over to beneficiaries, while flood mitigation measures were taken up in the Mambalam and Puliyur canals.

Considering rapid urbanisation, the decades-old sewer networks are being revamped. So far, the work has been completed in 110 streets and steps are under way to revamp the system in 100 more streets, he said.

Using the MLA Constituency Development Fund, the Anna Flyover was revamped, and public utility spaces including Valluvar Kottam and Semmozhi Poonga have been functioning with improved amenities, besides Kalaignar Centenary Park and Boxing Arena and Academy in Gopalapuram have been established, he said.

When asked about his aspirations for the development of the Thousand Lights Assembly segment, Dr. Ezhilan said creation of low-cost parking zones to address parking issues, construction of 1,000 more TNUHDB tenements and setting up a 50-bedded dialysis unit, among others, are on the cards.

Published – March 21, 2026 06:30 pm IST