Articles by Gangadharan B

Last year around the same time, Citizen Matters published a two part series on how the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) funds were underutilised in Bengaluru. Following this, budget allocation sped up and last September, the state government allocated over ₹145 crore to various agencies. However the air quality in the city hasn't improved, while more than ₹100 crores of the clean air funds remain unused. A total of ₹541 crore has been released so far, with ₹147.7 crore recently allocated among BESCOM, BMTC, BSWML, the Horticulture Department, and the Climate Action Cell. The planned projects for these clean air…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results 2021Previous Results 2016Incumbent MLA:  R.D ShekarMLA profileCriminal records:MLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Perambur is constituency number 12 in Chennai, located in the northern part of the city, and falls under the Chennai North Lok Sabha constituency. One of the largest railway coach manufacturing facilities in Asia, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), is located in Perambur. It was established in 1955, employing thousands of workers and engineers. Key areas include the ICF colony, Perambur Barracks Road, Peravallur, Kosapet, and Kannigapuram. As per the 2011 census, the constituency has…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: Murthy R.IdreamMLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Royapuram is constituency number 17 in Chennai, located in the northern part of the city along the Coromandel Coast. It falls under the Chennai North Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency covers areas including Royapuram, Old Washermenpet, Mottai Garden, and parts of Kasimedu, and is home to Royapuram Railway Station, the first railway station of South India and the oldest surviving railway station in the country, opened in 1856. The constituency has deep roots as a coastal…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results 2021Previous Results 2016Incumbent MLA: Ebenezer J J (aka) John Ebenezer JMLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read: Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, commonly known as RK Nagar, is an assembly constituency located in the northern coastal part of Chennai. The area is characterised by fisher community settlements, port-linked labour colonies and informal housing clusters. The population depends highly on welfare delivery systems. Narrow streets, crowded residential clusters, coastal roads and industrial zones are major characteristics of the area. Bus connections from Central to North Chennai are strong, however better connection…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 PollsTop Candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: A Vetriazhagan .MLA profileMLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Villivakkam, a prominent urban constituency in the city, presents a mix of long-established, densely-populated low-income residential areas, an industrial cluster, and rapidly expanding middle-class areas, some of which have given way to apartment complexes in recent years. Once the largest constituency in the city, Villivakkam has shrunk in size as many constituencies, including Ambattur, Kolathur, Madhavaram, Maduravoyal, and Virugambakkam, were carved out of it following the delimitation process. Areas that come under Villivakam including Villivakkam…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: Sekar Babu P KMLA profileCriminal records: 25LAD Funds Utilisation MLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read: Harbour is constituency number 18 in Chennai, located in the northern part of the city and directly adjacent to the Chennai Port. It falls under the Chennai Central Lok Sabha constituency with a population of around 2.64 lakh as per the 2011 census. With a SC population at around 23%. The constituency covers commercial and residential areas including George Town, Sowcarpet, Mannady, Broadway, Muthialpet, Kondithope, and Wall Tax Road. George…

Nine two-wheeler riders die every hour in India. In 2024 alone, more than 4 lakh road accidents were reported. Nearly 1.7 lakh people lost their lives in these crashes. While Indian roads aren't the best, Dimpu Chindappa also attributes accidents to driver behaviour. Dimpu is an engineer who was building roads and now she own a driving school in Bengaluru, "Drivonaut". Drivonaut is a unique driving school which prioritises road safety and prepares drivers to prevent accidents. While most driving classes cut through the system to get their students the driving license, Drivonaut ensures that they are fully prepared for…

“The road is broken, buses are overcrowded, traffic disrupts daily life, garbage piles up on the streets”—these are everyday complaints of citizens across Indian cities. In Bengaluru, these issues only seem to be worsening with passing time. Bengaluru’s built-up area grew by 85.19% between 2001 and 2020, resulting in commuters losing 168 hours (one week) annually to traffic congestion. As the city grows rapidly, governance systems, data frameworks, and citizen participation have failed to keep pace with its increasing complexity. What would it take to bridge this gap?  A report by Janaagraha, a non-profit working to improve the quality of…

43-year-old Saridha from Hongasandra works as housekeeping staff at an apartment complex in HSR Layout, an affluent area in southern Bengaluru. There was a time when her work commute meant a one-hour, 3-km walk from her house to the apartment. And then the same way back after a tiring day's work. Till she came to know of the HSR Feeder bus.  Now, she can take a BMTC bus from her place to Bommanahalli. It's a short 400 metres from there to the Mangammanpalya stop, where she takes the feeder bus, which drops her off right next to where she works.…

Unlike a decade ago, terms like Air Quality Index (AQI), particulate matter, and AQ sensors have become a part of everyday vocabulary in almost all Indian cities today. The rising threat of air pollution makes it all the more important to generate greater awareness about its causes, manifestation and impact on people at large. Being informed is the first step towards playing an active part in finding and implementing solutions towards cleaner air. Sarath Guttikunda, Founder/Director of UrbanEmissions believes that awareness creation on air quality should start as early as in schools. UrbanEmissions is a think tank that primarily focuses…