Articles by Syed Umar Ahmed

Velachery constituency consists of West Adyar, Tharamani, Sastri Nagar, Indra Nagar, Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur and Velachery localities. The entire area has excellent connectivity to all corners of the city, but suffers from traffic congestion and flooding issues during monsoons. The constituency is also home to a part of the city’s famed IT expressway with almost 70 offices in 20 buildings. The demographic is a mix of upper middle class and middle class residents. There is a sizable migrant population due to the availability of employment in the construction and IT industries that dominate the area. Representative image Votes cast (2016) …

Harbour constituency consists of localities such as Wall Tax road, Kondithope, Sowcarpet, Seven Wells Street, Broadway, Kachaleshwar Nagar, Muthialpet, Park Town and few wards in Anna Salai.  Broadway -- a central locality within Harbour constituency -- houses shops selling everything, from electrical appliances to handicrafts, plastic containers to thermocol items, hardware manufacturing items to software products. You are wrong if it gives an impression that the constituency is completely commercial. The footpaths of Wall Tax Road are home to many homeless, who work as daily labourers in these commercial complexes. Sowcarpet market which is known for gold plated jewelry has…

Sholinganallur, once a village on the outskirts of Chennai, developed over time to become an upmarket neighbourhood in the city. The growth is primarily attributed to rapid development on the IT expressway and also the booming real estate sector, that propped up residential and commercial use.  Historically-important places like Kovalam and Mahabalipuram are close by. Sholinganallur is a densely populated constituency. The East Coast Road portion of the constituency houses the fishermen community and IT employees. Beach villas owned by bigwigs and celebrities dot the coastline. Read more: Rs 700 crore spent annually as OMR residents wait in vain for…

Sathyanarayanan B won the hot seat of T Nagar in the 2016 legislative elections. Contesting the seat for a second time, the AIADMK candidate was in the final phase of the campaign trail, explaining the accomplishments and welfare schemes of the ruling AIADMK government and outlining his plans for the constituency, when we met him for an exclusive interview.  Here are the excerpts: How would you rate your five-year performance as an MLA? I am completely satisfied with my tenure as I have fulfilled my promises. Developing Pondy Bazaar under the smart city mission has been a noteworthy accomplishment during…

Kolathur definitely makes headlines whenever in the news, and the reason behind this is not entirely unknown. A high profile constituency represented by the DMK’s current chief ministerial candidate M K Stalin, Kolathur always draws special attention and finds mention in news discussions. Located in the north-western part of Chennai, Kolathur is equidistant from both Koyambedu bus station and Chennai Central railway station, and is well-connected by road with all major localities of the city. Close by are the highly developed residential, commercial and industrial centres — Anna Nagar, Purasawalkam and ICF respectively. Since its inclusion within city limits, Kolathur…

Saidapet constituency has many areas that promise low cost of living, despite being located at the centre of the city. It is a small constituency consisting of lesser known localities, but bordered by prominent neighbourhoods on all sides. It is connected to all corners of Chennai by multiple modes of transport. The nearest railway station is Saidapet, and falls on Tambaram - Beach line. Noteworthy landmarks of the city such as the Central railway station, CMBT, Marina beach are all within a radius of 10 kms. Shopping hub T Nagar, industrial hub Guindy and one of the state’s premier educational…

Alandur constituency has several localities that promise low cost of living. As a result, there is a significant population of lower middle class and economically weaker families in these areas. The other dominant population here is that of software engineers working in the hubs of OMR and ECR. Localities such as Nanganallur are close to these hubs.  Many temples dot the Alandur constituency much like Mylapore. Alandur is a peripheral constituency. Just 4 km from the airport, it also borders another junction of the city and an industrial hub Guindy. St Thomas Mount is the closest railway station. Velachery, another prime…

Once a village on the outskirts of Chennai, Maduravoyal is now at the centre of attention of political leaders, and clearly on the path to greater commercial development. Yet several infrastructural gaps and project delays bother resident voters, who hope that the new elected government will be able to resolve some of these. Maduravoyal assembly constituency consists of Ayapakkam, Nolambur, Karambakkam, Vanagaram, Ramapuram, Valasaravakkam, Porur, Nerkundram and a few wards of Mogappair and Ambattur. With the country’s largest mofussil bus terminus (at Koyambedu), a large freshwater resource (Porur lake) and an industrial estate that is almost an entire locality in…

Thyagaraya Nagar, commonly known as T Nagar, is a reputed commercial hub and an important junction in Chennai. T Nagar’s renown as a shopper's paradise is well known across the country. A crowded locality, with decorative eateries, luxury hotels and multiple purchase outlets, it may well be described as one of the most happening places in the city. The resident population is a mix of celebrities, many of whom can be spotted on early morning walks in the parks, and daily wagers, who make their living in the commercial areas. Many businessmen and a few retired diplomats live in the…