It remains to be seen whether the north Chennai constituency, which reflects a steady rise in female participation, favours the fledgling political party TVK and its founder-president in the polls.

Spread across dense, working-class neighbourhoods such as Kodungaiyur, Vyasarpadi, Moolakadai and Kannadasan Nagar, the constituency's core issues remain rooted in everyday survival, water, sanitation and mobility.

Key arterial stretches, including Kodungaiyur Dump Yard Road, Tondiarpet High Road, Chennai–Srikakulam Highway, Sathyamurthy Nagar Main Road, Meenambal Road and Kamarajar Salai, mirror the area's urban stress, with heavy congestion, poor maintenance and limited scope for expansion.

"Sewage mixing with drinking water is still a problem in many areas," said A Joel Yesudoss, a resident of Kodungaiyur, pointing to long-standing infrastructure gaps. G Parvathi, a roadside vendor in MKB Nagar, flagged the erratic supply of drinking water. "We struggle for clean drinking water.

What we get is not always usable," she said. L Srinivasan, a senior citizen from Kannadasan Nagar, highlighted traffic concerns. "Roads are narrow and choked. Even ambulances find it difficult during peak hours," he said.

The Kodungaiyur dump yard continues to dominate public discourse. While biomining efforts are underway, residents remain wary of proposals involving waste processing and burning. "We have lived with pollution for decades. Any new project should not worsen it," said A Anbarasan, a resident of Kodungaiyur.

Demands from voters include widening of key roads, creation of multi-level parking facilities in congested pockets such as Vyasarpadi and Kodungaiyur, and a reliable supply of safe drinking water. Improved bus connectivity to south Chennai and suburban regions also figures prominently among expectations.