Articles by Archita Raghu

Across India, temperatures are soaring, and the impact is evident, from 300 suspected heat-related illness cases reported in Andhra Pradesh to 200 in Maharashtra, say news reports. Heat is unequally felt, with informal workers bearing the brunt of income loss and illness during the blazing hours. Another overlooked impact is heatwaves’ toll on menstrual and reproductive health, where access to washrooms and clean water exacerbates summers for women in low-income settlements, experts say.  Extreme heat exposure overlaps closely with marginalisation, says Vidhya Venugopal, Professor of Climate Change, Occupational and Environmental Health at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research…

At 8 am every day, M Subashini hops onto her two-wheeler and braces herself for the incessant Zomato order notifications on her phone, and the blistering May heat. Armed with a water bottle and gloves, the gig worker says "Veyil thaangamudila (can't bear the sun). But we took this job to be independent, and earn — so we can't stop, for rain or heat.” Shuttling across Ambattur's roads, the 38-year-old races between restaurants and residences, dropping off food packages under the scorching sun. An order within five kilometres usually earns her ₹20–50. “Men can do longer distances, but I can’t.…

Ever since the contentious Mamallan reservoir was proposed in the ecosensitive Kovalam–Nemmeli backwater system, fisher communities in Chennai have repeatedly asked: Does it have to be here? Experts and scientists say no, urging the government to abandon the project and work on sustainable alternatives.  Critics point to a long list of costs: high expenditure, land acquisition, and risks to livelihoods and biodiversity. As we have reported earlier, the central concern driving the project is the looming drinking water supply crisis – demand is projected to rise from 1,100 million litres a day (MLD) to over 2,500 MLD for the Greater…

Mohana S recalls how Kanima Nagar in Periya Nemmeli, Chengalpattu, was bountiful just 20 years ago, filled with trees, paddy crops, and rabbits. Picking brackish‑water prawns from the Great Salt Lake, a five‑minute walk away, provided income for her hamlet of about 36 Irular families. Today, this area, around 40 km from Chennai, has become dry land with weeds, prone to floods every northeastern monsoon. Residents report a drop in catch and link the changing landscape to urbanisation in Chennai, groundwater depletion, flooding, and erosion along the Kovalam coast. “When it rains, we in Kanima Nagar suffer in the floods.…

Across cities, official Air Quality Index (AQI) readings often overlook local hotspots. Chennai has eight Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) that function 24/7 throughout the year. But this isn’t enough to map particulate matter. Air changes every few metres, as researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras tell us. Seasonal variation, construction, vehicular movement, and proximity to industries also change the air we breathe, In 2022, over 17 lakh people died in India due to air pollution (PM 2.5), according to a Lancet study. With better hyper-local air data and public awareness, citizens and policymakers can target pollution…

For the average Chennaiite, the daily commute has become an arduous task of navigating peak-hour congestion, poor footpaths and an unreliable public transport system. Ahead of the Assembly elections on April 23rd, the gap between official promises and the reality on the road continues to widen. Here is what the numbers say: Currently, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) operates a fleet of 4,110 buses and launched 120 low-floor electric buses in 2025. However, experts say the city actually needs 7,000 buses for comfortable travel and better last-mile connectivity. Residents flag overcrowding and long wait times, which force many commuters, especially in…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 PollsTop candidates2021 Polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: MK MohanMLA profileKey citizen demandsAlso read Located in the north-western part of Chennai, Anna Nagar was named after former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. Formerly known as Naduvakkarai, the residential was developed by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board in the 1970s. Characterised by a grid-layout of seven major avenues, this area boasts wide roads and designated green spaces.  Populated by the majorly upper-middle class, this constituency contains planned neighbourhoods. It also has three major metro stations, and is proximal to Koyambedu and CMBT bus stations. As…

Saidapet, one of Chennai’s most historic and politically significant constituencies, enters the 2026 elections with a mix of legacy importance and persistent civic frustration. Once represented by leaders like M Karunanidhi, the constituency today reflects the pressures of dense urban living—ranging from river-adjacent flooding risks to infrastructure strain. Saidapet Assembly Constituency is part of the Chennai South parliamentary seat. It includes key areas such as Guindy, Kotturpuram, Nandanam, and Jafferkhanpet. Map showing the Saidapet Assembly constituency. Pic courtesy: OpenCity.in. Political Representation Saidapet is a general constituency. Candidates for 2026 polls After the SIR, Saidapet has over 2 lakh voters. Around…

Table of contentsPolitical Representation 2021 polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: AMV Prabhakara RajaMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Located in south-western Chennai, Virugambakkam Assembly constituency is majorly a residential neighbourhood. A fast growing area, it is also home to one of the largest fruits and vegetable markets in Asia, Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex, and the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT). The constituency has a mixed urban profile, comprising middle-class households, daily-wage earners, and members of the film industry. Virugambakkam was formed in 2009, carved out of Villivakkam and Alandur constituencies. B Parthasarathy of DMDK became the first MLA…

Table of contentsPolitical Representation2021 Polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: Dr Ezhilan NMLA profileKey citizen demandsAlso read: Thousand Lights Assembly constituency sits in the central core of Chennai and brings together a stretch of older neighbourhoods and some of the city’s most high-profile residential and commercial pockets like Nungambakkam, Poes Garden and Gopalapuram.This constituency has deep ties to Tamil Nadu’s political and cultural elite. It has counted leaders like M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa among its voters and continues to be associated with high-profile residents such as Rajinikanth. It was also once a key electoral base for Chief Minister…