THIYAGARAYANAGAR

Thiyagarayanagar (T. Nagar) constituency experienced a narrow DMK victory in 2021, with J. Karunanithi defeating AIADMK's B. Sathiyanarayanan by just 137 votes (41.05% vs 40.95%). The five-year period from 2021 to 2026 saw significant infrastructure investments as part of broader Chennai development initiatives, including the Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project (118.9 km with 128 stations, expected completion 2027), the Chennai Peripheral Road from Ennore to Poonjeri, and Smart City projects featuring AI-based traffic management and a Global Centre of Excellence for AI with ₹10,000 crore investment aimed at creating 20,000 jobs. Plans for RO-purified drinking water distribution, upgraded public toilets, high-intensity street lighting, and 1,000 new mini buses were announced. However, the constituency faced persistent civic problems including recurring flooding despite heavy investment in stormwater drains, with Cyclone Michaung in 2023 causing significant waterlogging. Water scarcity remained an issue, with Chennai projected to face a 713 MLD deficit by 2026. Garbage management struggled with only 150 tonnes of 4,500 tonnes daily waste properly disposed. The period was marked by major corruption controversies, including ED investigations into cash-for-jobs scams in the Municipal Administration department (bribes of ₹25-35 lakh per job alleged) and TASMAC corruption involving over ₹1,000 crore. Sanitation workers protested privatization in August 2025, citing salary cuts from ₹22,500 to ₹15,000. Several DMK election promises remained unfulfilled, including the Old Pension Scheme rollback (replaced with TAPS), student loan waivers, free laptops (replaced with incomplete tablet distribution), and farmer MSP guarantees. As voters approach the April 23, 2026 election with DMK's Raja Anbazhagan facing AIADMK's B. Sathyanarayanan again, they must weigh infrastructure ambitions against delivery gaps, welfare schemes against unfulfilled promises, and governance challenges including corruption allegations and persistent civic issues.