Projects need to follow voters, to the added areas in Chennai
CHENNAI: Electoral data after SIR underscores that the added areas are growing fast while the core city stays stagnant, underscoring the need for a policy shift in infrastructure investment and timely completion of civic projects. Even after nearly 30% deletions, the electorate in Sholinganallur, Madhavaram, Maduravoyal, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Alandur, Tiruvottriyur and Ambattur has grown by 21% to 56%, together adding about 7.5 lakh voters.Overall, the combined electorate of these eight added areas has risen to 25.7 lakh, not far from the 29 lakh voters spread across 16 core city constituencies after SIR.Madhavaram leads the growth at 56.7%, followed by Sholinganallur at 54.9%. Maduravoyal, Tambaram, Alandur and Pallavaram have posted 20-40% gains, reflecting sustained urban expansion.In the core city, which also underwent 35% deletions in SIR, most constituencies have reverted to 2011-level electorates. Anna Nagar recorded a 16.7% decline, while Thousand Lights had the steepest fall at 21%. Former additional director of MAWS department D S Sivasamy said, “Housing is more affordable in added areas, rents are lower, space is larger, and these areas are closer to the IT workspaces of OMR, DLF and Ambattur IT estates.” Stagnation in core city electorate could also be linked to a floating population and incomplete voter enrolment among migrant labour groups. “Many may vote in their native places. This also explains the high movement of people out of the city during elections,” he added.The numbers indicate an urgent need for policy and infrastructure focus towards added areas, said Sivasamy.The growth is concentrated along the IT belt (Sholinganallur), GST Road stretch (Tambaram-Pallavaram-Alandur), northern industrial zone (Madhavaram-Thiruvottiyur) and western expansion pockets (Ambattur-Maduravoyal) along Poonamallee High Road. These corridors are witnessing rapid expansion, with high-rise apartments, villas, gated communities and plotted developments. However, underground drainage, piped water supply, solid waste management and flood mitigation remain uneven.
Sivasubramanian Jayaraman, deputy director at the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy, said population growth must be matched with early infrastructure intervention. “In the core city, growth happened without adequate infrastructure. Now we need to reduce emissions, reverse pollution in waterbodies such as Cooum, Adyar and Buckingham Canal, and expand road capacity to manage stress,” he said. “The added areas still have the opportunity to build walkable streets, better water systems and greenfield neighbourhoods from the start,” Jayaraman added.Urban planner S Babjee said, “Unlike the core city, added areas still have strong natural water systems. If restored properly, water security can be ensured. Roads are wider and metro expansion is planned to SIPCOT and Madhavaram, so development is structurally easier if guided early.”Former Thiruporur MLA S S Balaji said,”RWAs have consistently raised basic civic demands in all the online meetings and town halls. Stronger legislative and project-level interventions are needed to match infrastructure growth with electorate expansion.”
