Edappadi K. Palaniswami, a prominent political leader of Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Upgraded sewer lines, widening of Canal Bank Road, replacement of damaged transformers and streetlights are among the demands put forward by 5,000 residents of Kasturba Nagar in Adyar for the upcoming elections.Their primary concern is being unable to move freely due to encroachment on Canal Bank Road and Kamaraj Avenue between First Street and Old Mahabalipuram Road. 2022 Madras High Court order directed removal of encroachments, but Canal Bank Road received no relief. D Radhakrishnan of 4th Main Road said, “Most of the encroachments have developed into houses. There are also many eateries, resulting in parking of two-wheelers reducing the road space for pedestrians.” The presence of Tasmac on the stretch adds to the problems. Other demands include replacement of the damaged transformer on 8th Main Road, which causes frequent power outages, and replacement of malfunctioning CCTV cameras and lights. “We have prepared a list of these demands and will submit them to the candidates contesting in this election,” said D Balaji, vice president of Kasturba Nagar South Residents Welfare Association.Residents of other prominent nearby areas including Gandhi Nagar and Indira Nagar also said the same. A common demand is to replace sewer pipelines laid 30 years ago. K Aditya of Indira Nagar said, “Earlier, most of the residences were independent houses. Now, they have turned into flats with four times the number of residents. The pipelines cannot take the load.”