Ambattur Constituency Residents Voice Infrastructure Grievances During Election Season
As election campaigning accelerates across Tamil Nadu, residents of the Ambattur constituency in Chennai are voicing their frustration over persistent neglect of basic infrastructure. Despite being under the jurisdiction of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), the area continues to suffer from ageing sewage systems, unchecked encroachments, and a lack of essential facilities.
Residents Accuse Political Representatives of Consistent Neglect
The United Welfare Federation of Ambattur, a coalition comprising at least ten residents welfare associations (RWAs), has formally submitted a charter of demands to all contesting candidates. Federation members allege that political representatives have repeatedly failed to engage with the community or include RWAs in crucial committee meetings.
S Suresh, president of the federation, stated emphatically, "The sitting MLA has never visited our area to understand local concerns. Our councillor has visited the ward only three times in the last four years. We have filed numerous complaints about local eateries occupying pavements and bunk shops in residential areas, which constrict roads and cause severe traffic congestion."
Critical Infrastructure Deficiencies Highlighted
Residents detailed significant daily hardships due to inadequate infrastructure. Suresh explained, "During peak traffic hours, it takes at least two hours to travel the 13 kilometers to Kilpauk, which houses the nearest government hospital. Conversely, reaching the Ambattur telephone exchange, merely 3 kilometers away, consumes 45 minutes."
The federation's demands underscore the absence of several essential amenities:
- A government hospital within the constituency
- Higher secondary schools for boys
- Public playgrounds and recreational spaces
- Basic infrastructure such as proper footpaths and bus shelters
Environmental Concerns and Sewage System Failures
Environmental degradation adds another layer to the constituency's challenges. Ramalingam, joint secretary of the federation, highlighted, "Ambattur constituency contains at least thirty small and large waterbodies that remain neglected. The old sewer network is consistently clogged, and no proper desilting has been conducted in recent years. This negligence results in untreated sewage flowing directly into water bodies, including Puzhal Lake and Korattur Lake."
The collective frustration stems from what residents describe as a pattern of oversight by successive elected representatives. As political parties intensify their campaign efforts, the community's charter of demands seeks to hold candidates accountable for long-standing infrastructure failures and environmental mismanagement.
