If one who had lived in or seen Ambattur a decade or two ago and were to see it today, it would be almost unrecognisable. Such has been the scale of change. However, residents say that growth has stalled in recent years.

The Ambattur Assembly Constituency is a densely populated urban seat in Tiruvallur district, with an electorate of over 3.3 lakh voters and a mix of industrial workers, middle-class residents, and small businesses.

Formed after the 2008 delimitation, the constituency covers parts of Ambattur taluk and the expanding western stretches of the city, anchored by the Ambattur Industrial Estate and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

The incumbent DMK MLA Joseph Samuel has not been renominated this time. A.P. Poornima, councillor of Chennai Corporation Ward 87, will contest on a DMK ticket against PMK’s N. Sekar, NTK’s Silambarasan, and TVK candidate G. Balamurugan.

T. Gunaseelan, a resident of Ambattur, says the widening of the Chennai – Tiruttani (CTH) Road from Padi to Avadi is a long-pending demand. He notes that several stretches remain narrow, leading to severe bottlenecks and daily traffic congestion. With heavy movement of commuters, buses, and industrial traffic, the current road width is inadequate. Expanding the road, he adds, would ease traffic flow and reduce travel time for thousands of daily commuters.

Ambattur rail commuters have renewed their demand for an additional platform on the southern side of Ambattur railway station to allow express and fast local trains towards Chennai to halt there. At present, the station’s three platforms cater to slow suburban services in both directions and fast/express trains only in one direction, leaving no facility for return services.

S. Gopalakrishnan of the Ambattur Rail Commuters Welfare Association (ARCWA) said that a new foot overbridge is needed as people risk their lives by crossing the tracks. He also said that the subway construction is progressing at a slow pace, causing hardship to commuters and residents around the railway station.

‘Area neglected’

S. Suresh, president of the United Welfare Associations (UWA) of Ambattur, says there has been little development in recent years and that the area continues to be neglected. “We have been asking for a government hospital. For emergencies, people have to go to Kilpauk or Stanley hospital. It takes nearly 30 minutes just to cross Ambattur Estate during peak hours, by the time the patient reaches Kilpauk hospital, imagine what could happen,” he notes.

Further, residents have been demanding a government school for boys. While the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Government Girls Higher Secondary School serves girls in the area, boys often have to travel to Villivakkam, Perambur or Anna Nagar for similar facilities, they say.

“Without these basic amenities, why do we need things like boating in a park?” said Mr. Suresh, referring to the newly introduced boating facility at Thangal Eri Park on Madhanakuppam Main Road in Kallikuppam. Korattur lake, one of Chennai’s largest water bodies, has become a growing concern for residents in the area. Foul odour, frothing, and fish deaths are now common, as untreated sewage continues to flow into the lake through stormwater drains and connecting channels from nearby areas such as Ambattur.

The issue has been taken up before the National Green Tribunal, which has directed civic agencies to curb the inflow and strengthen sewer infrastructure. However, residents say there has been little visible improvement on the ground, and pollution continues to affect the lake.

Korattur Aeri Padhugappu Makkal Iyakkam secretary S. Sekaran says that many areas have not yet been provided with underground drainage connections, forcing residents to link their sewage outlets to stormwater drains built by the Chennai Corporation. “People find it costly to obtain a drainage connection. They have to shell out around ₹30,000 as a deposit to Metrowater, in addition to road-cutting charges, and unofficial payments to concerned authorities,” he says.

Ambattur lake is also contaminated, say residents, with a visible layer of water hyacinth covering parts of the water body.