Lack of industries drives Tiruvallur locals seeking jobs to Sri City in AP

CHENNAI: Though numerically placed on top among Lok Sabha constituencies in the state based on its geographic location, Tiruvallur continues to be backward in several aspects. This despite the fact that Tiruvallur, which was a part of Sriperumpudur LS constituency, being carved out as a separate parliamentary constituency following delimitation in 2009.


Lack of initiatives for industrial promotion due to stiff competition from neighbouring Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, failure to implement Smart City project in Ponneri, absence of government institutions for higher education and stoppage of express trains passing through Tiruvallur are some of the stumbling blocks hampering the development of the constituency.

Sri City, an integrated business city at Tada in AP, has emerged as a major source of employment for those residing in Tiruvallur district.

K Parimala, a resident of Madharpakkam near Gummidipoondi, said at least 150 women who are school passouts as well as diploma and degree holders from the town work at Sri City. “The industrial hub attracts employees from places like Periyapalayam, Uthukottai and even Ambattur for work. They provide transportation from our doorsteps to Sri City, besides food and a decent salary,” she said.

The human resources also include men, who are employed as supervisors and line leaders. “We are going there because there is hardly any industrial expansion in Tiruvallur district,” said Parimala, employed as a deputy security officer in a mobile manufacturing unit in Sri City.

In neighbouring Ponneri, the ambitious Smart City project has proved to be a nonstarter. The Centre had announced that Ponneri would be developed as a Smart City in 2014. It was a part of the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, with Ponneri the prospective industrial node. “We expected facilities on a par with Chennai after the Smart City comes into being. What happened was agricultural lands were converted as housing plots supposedly because they were situated near the Smart City at Ponneri,” said M Veera, an auto-rickshaw driver from Chinnakavanam near Ponneri.

In Tiruvallur, Poonamallee, Avadi and Madhavaram are largely urbanised. Growing water crisis, absence of underground drainage system and traffic congestion are taking the sheen out of Poonamallee, where byelection will be held on April 18. There have been complaints that civic woes of residents are not addressed, worsening the standard of living in the rapidly urbanising western gateway of Chennai.

Tiruvallur was traditionally a Congress bastion that elected veteran party leader Maragatham Chandrasekar four times to the Lok Sabha since 1951. DMK and AIADMK have also emerged successful an equal number of times, though in alliance with Congress. Though several pockets are rapidly being urbanised, inadequate basic amenities is causing urban decay in many areas with drinking water crisis emerging as a major problem.

G Munirathinam, Poondi panchayat union secretary of AIADMK, complained that Congress and BJP-led governments in the Centre have ignored Tiruvallur. “There is no central government educational institution or government-run medical facility like those in Kancheepuram or Sriperumpudur constituencies. We do not see any difference after delimitation,” he said. Two-time MP P Venugopal could not be reached for his comments on the projects and schemes that he had brought in for Tiruvallur.

The long-pending demand for express train stoppage at Tiruvallur railway station has been a key issue for locals. Of the 70 express and mail trains passing through Tiruvallur everyday, only 20 stop at the railway station.

G R Sathya, a resident, said Electric Multiple Unit trains take 1.15 hours to reach Chennai. “If all express trains stop at Tiruvallur, it would be a big help for employees to reach quicker,” he said.
Elections 2025 mark a pivotal year for democratic processes across various regions in India and globally. This includes key state assembly elections, local body polls, and by-elections that could significantly impact national-level politics. Get real-time updates, important dates, voting procedures, and verified news — all in one place. Whether you're tracking results or exploring candidate profiles, this is your go-to hub for Elections 2025.