Though Vellore bagged the sixth place among cities with a population of less than a million in the Ease of Living Index, its residents feel there is still a long way to go. Delays in the completion of smart city works, dug-up roads and the mosquito menace are their main grievances.

The Vellore Assembly constituency, with over 2.5 lakh voters, has traditionally been a stronghold of the DMK. The party’s candidate, P. Karthikeyan, won the 2016 election by a margin of 26,411 votes over Harun Rasheed of the AIADMK.

The election to the Vellore Parliamentary constituency in 2019 was rescinded amid reports that money power was being used to influence voters. Hence, the Election Commission of India has ordered that strict vigil should be maintained in the constituencies of the district to ensure an inducement-free poll next month.

“Vellore’s votes are not decided communally. The DMK traditionally has an edge in this constituency, and there are a lot of unorganised workers, including beedi sellers and autorickshaw drivers, who may vote for the DMK in view of its alliance with the Communist parties,” said S. Dayanidhi, district secretary, CPI(M). Mr. Dayanidhi said delays in the execution of smart city projects would be a major drawback for the AIADMK this time. “Nothing is happening on the ground. It’s not clear whether a committee was formed to review the works. Roads are dug up everywhere,” he said.

“Smart city works have been under way for many years now. The roads in several parts of the constituency have been dug up as part of smart city and underground sewage projects. Though the work has been completed in some places, the roads have not been relaid,” said M. Baradeswaran, a member of the Maruti Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association.

Traffic problems

Traffic woes worsened as a result, he said. “This can be felt at Green Signal, Anna Salai and Velappadi. We need a solution. Only now, they are laying pavements in the locality, as a result of which pedestrians don’t even have space to walk. There are also encroachments,” he added.

The residents are also angry about the difficulties in accessing public transport. A new bus stand is being constructed under the smart city project.

“Buses to Chennai and Kancheepuram halt at the new bus stand, while those bound for Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Bengaluru stop at the old bus stand. Buses to Andhra Pradesh, Cuddalore and Villupuram stop at Makkan signal. So, we have to go to different places to board buses to different destinations. The new bus stand has to be constructed soon,” Mr. Baradeswaran said.

R. Ponnarasi, secretary, Mount View Apartments Residents’ Welfare Association, said that though the Municipal Corporation was doing a good job, the authorities should desilt the waterbodies for effective water management. “There are lakes like Sadupu Eri, Kazhinjur lake, Otteri and others. Had they been desilted, a lot of water could have been saved,” she said.

Mr. Baradeswaran suggested that after desilting the waterbodies, the Corporation could build a walkers’ park around them. “It will be very helpful. Besides, there were plans to improve the moat around the Vellore fort and introduce boating. But nothing has happened in that regard,” he said.