Oppn pins hopes on development issues to breach DMK’s bastion

CHENNAI: The slow progress in infrastructure works and long-neglected demands are the main concerns of the Chennai North Parliament constituency voters.

Among the 3 city constituencies, a relatively backward Chennai North is a DMK bastion that has returned the party candidate 11 times since 1957. AIADMK had won once in 2014.

Incumbent DMK MP Kalanidhi Veerasamy will face AIADMK’s Royapura Mano, while the BJP has fielded advocate Paul Kanagaraj RC.

North Chennai has a mix of socio-economic groups comprising largely fishermen, workers, traders, and poor and lower middle-class people. Unlike Chennai’s South and Central constituencies, the city’s north seat lacks basic infrastructure. Wider roads, flyovers at key junctions, pavement facilities, hospitals and educational institutions have been a concern for a long time.

The arterial roads in north Chennai, including Tiruvottiyur High Road, Perambur Barracks Road and Paper Mills Road, are narrow leading to traffic congestion during peak hours.

“The Chennai Metro Rail extension line from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar was constructed without widening the TH Road and it has become narrower. Though the Metro rail offers faster connectivity, the people who cannot afford to pay high fares are dependent on MTC buses,” said A Rajkumar, a resident of Tondiarpet.

Members of the Tiruvottiyur Consumer Protection Council have requested the government and CMRL to take steps to connect Wimco Nagar Metro with the upcoming Madhavaram Metro line. Residents also demand the government to set up educational institutions, hospitals, and playgrounds and create job opportunities for the youth.

The election has come amid widespread flooding witnessed during the recent monsoon. In particular, an oil leak from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd ravaged parts of Thiruvottiyur and Ennore. An ammonia gas leak hit the residents of Ennore residents in December last week, making it worse. The residents continued the protests for months seeking permanent closure of the fertiliser manufacturing unit Coromandel International Ltd. “The gas leaks have made it worse,” rued R Govindaraj, a resident of Jothinagar.

The seat consists of 6 Assembly segments – Royapuram, RK Nagar, Tiruvottiyur, Perambur, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar and Kolathur. The DMK represents all the six assembly segments including CMMK Stalin’s Kolathur.

AIADMK candidate Royapuram Mano promises to address all the issues left in the ‘lurch by the DMK. “Despite winning streak thy have failed,” he said.

Incumbent DMK MP Kalanidhi listed various developmental works completed and those which are underway, including the project to construct a rock barrier (thoondil valaivu), to protect boats and equipment of fishermen, on Kosasthalaiyar river mouth at Rs 140 crore-a long-standing demand.