City: Chennai

The upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly election, which will see the state voting on April 6th, is being hotly contested between the two major parties DMK and AIADMK and their allies. On the third front, looking to break their hegemony is the relatively new entrant, Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam.  With polling dates close by, a slew of promises have been made by various candidates and parties. But what do citizens want from their elected representatives? What are their most pressing concerns that they would like the state to address? Citizen Matters brought together a panel of eminent citizens, who have…

Located in the southern part of Chennai, Tambaram is a developing suburban area that is an entry and exit point for Chennai. As the area is growing rapidly, many people prefer settling down in and around Tambaram, which is well connected with the city and IT corridors. The second airport for the city and a bus terminal at Kilambakkam are some of the projects in the pipeline that could benefit the residents of the suburb. Some of the areas in Tambaram constituency: Chitlapakkam, Kadaperi, Tambaram, Mudichur, Perungalathur, Sembakkam and Selaiyur. Representative image. Voters in 2016 (excluding postal votes) Total number of…

In 2011, Ambattur was one among the areas that were added to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). The neighbourhood has the biggest small scale industrial estate in South Asia and is witnessing a boom in the IT industry. While the quality of roads has improved in the recent past, overall development over the last three decades still leaves much to be desired. As an industrial estate, Ambattur constituency is home to a floating population, due to which the area falls behind in citizen activism. Since 2011, the constituency has seen an AIADMK candidate in the MLA seat. Some of the areas…

A Ponnusamy is articulate and expressive. Representing the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), he appears to be very clear about what he wants and has concrete plans to develop his constituency and help dairy farmers in Tamil Nadu. He is also the President of TN Milk Dealers' Employees' Association. Contesting from Perambur constituency, where he has been a resident since 1997, he feels that he has a better understanding of the problems faced by the people of the constituency. The northern part of the city has been a DMK bastion for a long time now, and Ponnusamy will be facing off…

Royapuram constituency is one of the smallest constituencies in terms of land and population, comprised of localities such as Old Washermenpet, Royapuram and Basin Bridge.   A stronghold of the AIADMK party, Royapuram is developing fast as a commercial space. “A majority of the old-timers among the Royapuram electorate work in the Railways or the Port Trust. But with the flourishing of the export business and go-downs, members of the Marwadi and Muslim communities have also begun to settle here,” said Monish Kumar, a trader and a long-time resident of the constituency.  It is one of the least developed constituencies, characterised…

Anna Nagar is considered one of the more well-developed constituencies in the city. The assembly constituency covers areas such as Anna Nagar, Kilpauk, Aminjikarai, Shenoy Nagar, Naduvankarai. Many of these localities top the real estate markets of Chennai. Anna Nagar constituency boasts of many amenities such as parks, playgrounds, good schools and connectivity.  "Parts of the constituency with its rich neighborhoods could be compared to those in Singapore" says Mr Ratna Singh, President of Residents Welfare Association Asiad, Anna Nagar Tower.  The constituency is home to localities with some of the highest real estate prices in the city. Pic:Nileena MS…

Special events planned to target first-time voters A study conducted by the District Election Office has revealed that more than 48% of first-time voters in the 16 Assembly constituencies of Chennai district have not registered their names on the electoral rolls yet. Of 1,24,824 people belonging to 18-19 years of age, only 64,152 people have enrolled. Authorities from the office have begun visiting the households and have charted plans to boost the enrolment campaign. As part of the initiative, 34 activities are planned to be conducted with a special focus on first-time voters. Programmes such as the e-bike rally, events…

Translated by Sandhya Raju மூத்த குடிமக்கள் மற்றும் 45 வயதுக்கு மேல் இணை நோய்கள் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு மார்ச் மாதம் 1-ம் தேதி இரண்டாம் கட்ட கோவிட் தடுப்பூசிக்கான பதிவு தொடங்கப்பட்டது. சுகாதார மற்றும் குடும்ப நல அமைச்சகத்தின் அறிவிப்பின்படி, பொது மக்கள் கோ-வின் வலைதளத்தில் மட்டுமே பதிவு செய்ய வேண்டும் என்றும் தடுப்பூசி பணியில் ஈடுபடுபவர்கள் மட்டுமே கோ-வின் செயலி உபயோகிக்க வேண்டும் என தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. Read more: Interview: When and how will Chennai get the COVID vaccine? எவ்வாறு பதிவு செய்வது? நேரடியாக சென்று பதிவு செய்ய முடியுமா? என்னென்ன அடையாள அட்டை தேவை? இது போன்ற பல கேள்விகளுக்கு இந்த கட்டுரை மூலம் பதிலளிக்க முயற்சித்துள்ளோம். கோவிட் தடுப்பூசி. படம்: வி. நரேஷ் குமார். பதிவு செய்யும் நடைமுறை என்ன? அருகாமையில் உள்ள தடுப்பூசி மையத்தில் தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக்கொள்ள கோ-வின் வலைதளமே அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்ட பதிவு…

In about three weeks from now, citizens of the state will be casting their vote to elect the Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (MLA). The state legislative body in Tamil Nadu is a unicameral legislature, that is, it has only the lower house, unlike Karnataka’s bicameral legislature with an assembly and a council.  The Tamil Nadu assembly has a strength of 234 members, known as MLAs, who form the legislative body. The members are democratically elected by the citizens of the state. MLAs are in charge of making laws, holding the state government accountable and approving public expenditure. On…

The upcoming Assembly polls will be a watershed moment in Tamil Nadu, as this is the first MLA elections after the death of the two political stalwarts -- M Karunanidhi (DMK) and J Jayalalithaa (AIADMK). In their absence, the next generation of politicians -- MK Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami -- have taken the lead to steer the respective parties. On the third front of the battle is actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party.   The two Dravidian parties have released their manifestos for the upcoming State Assembly elections. From freebies to waiving education loans to reducing the price…