The Sriperumbudur constituency straddles 132 villages in Kancheepuram district. It gets its name from Sriperumbudur village, which is soaked in ancient Vaishnavite tradition and houses the temple of Saint Ramanuja.

The area has seen a rapid growth in industrialisation because of the establishment of numerous industrial complexes, including SIPCOT. The constituency also has a large residential population and numerous educational institutions. But traffic congestion remains a big issue. The main grievance of the residents is that the lack of flyovers at important junctions on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway causes heavy traffic congestion in and around Sriperumbudur.

In the last decade or so, the constituency has gained prominence for its industrial estates and the rapid urbanisation around the various villages. Heavy vehicles are causing severe traffic congestion.

The foremost demand of residents and industrialists, which remains unfulfilled for more than a decade, has been the construction of a flyover at the trijunction of the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway, Kundrathur-Sriperumbudur Road and Perumalpattu Road linking Oragadam and Kancheepuram.

It is one of the heavily congested and accident-prone junctions located near the city. The traffic police have also highlighted the need to post a minimum of four personnel to regulate the traffic there round the clock.

T. Sukumar, a resident of Kundrathur, says the trijunction bears with heavy traffic during the peak hours. Vehicles are piling up for more than half-a-kilometre.

Several accidents occur here daily, keeping the traffic policemen on their toes, Mr. Sukumar added.

Those working in the industrial units rue the time wasted in traffic jams between Sriperumbudur and Sunguvarchatram.

The trijunction is prone to accidents. As the facilities are poor at the Sriperumbudur Government Hospital, accident victims are often referred to the government hospitals at Chengalpattu or Chennai, leading to loss of lives, say residents.

The reserved constituency has good sources of water, including the Chembarambakkam lake, but they suffer from poor renovation and upkeep. N. Ayappan, a resident of Manimangalam, is all praise for the paving of roads in certain areas. But he is upset at the poor maintenance of a number of lakes. The Manimangalam lake was renovated at a cost of ₹2 crore. But a portion of the renovated embankment gave way. The timely steps taken by the Water Resources Department and the villagers helped to prevent disastrous flooding last year, he says.

Industrialist S. Thyagarajan has a unit that makes automobile accessories in the SIPCOT complex at Irungattukottai. He says thousands of employees working at the factories in and around Sriperumbudur have been affected by lack of public transport. He wants the government to extend Metro Rail and more bus services to Sriperumbudur. He also wants the second airport project restarted and the toll gate shifted to Sunguvarchatram, besides the Chennai-Bengaluru industrial corridor project fast-tracked.

Mr. Thyagarajan says the industrial units are willing to take part in the renovation of lakes for supply of potable water.

Sanction accorded

Sriperumbudur MLA K. Palani says sanction has been given for widening the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway, and the work on a flyover at the trijunction will begin once the road is widened. Taking credit for improving over 100 roads in various villages, Mr. Palani says three important roads, which had never been developed until 2016, have been paved. “The roads from Somangalam to Chetpattu, from Padappai to Orathur and from Madambakkam to Kavanoor were developed during my tenure.”

He says that since the residents bank on bus transport and given the area’s religious importance, direct bus services were increased from Sriperumbudur to Kundrathur, Perungalathur, Iyappanthangal, Thiruvanmiyur, Tambaram, Vadapalani, Poonamallee and Avadi.