For years, these residents have suffered from chronic sleep disturbances, respiratory issues, and traffic congestion; they are now crossing fingers for a better livelihood.

According to the residents, the commercial activity has become a significant concern over the last five years, with the issue intensifying over the past three years. The social media influencers and others have hyped the night biriyani and early morning biriyani shops in the neighbourhood as a popular late-night destination for youth and IT professionals. Besides consuming alcohol in front of the house, men leave the food packets and also sleep there.

While biryani offers a delightful experience for food enthusiasts, residents are raising concerns about the proliferation of fast-food joints. These encroachments have led to severe traffic congestion, rising noise levels, and a shortage of parking spaces. Furthermore, many of these establishments are operating 24/7 without the required legal permits.

Highlighting the noise pollution from a nearby biryani shop, a resident of Decoster Road in Pulianthope and the mother of two young children, said, "The noise persists throughout the day and severely disrupts our sleep at night, and the smoke causes breathing difficulties for my children."

She noted that the situation escalates on Friday nights and weekends when large crowds of college students and IT professionals throng the shop. "The people occupy the staircases and make noise, also at times men consume alcohol in front of the house and sleep there."

M Aahwaq, who resides on the street, reported that vehicles frequently block his entrance, creating a dangerous situation during emergencies. In any untoward incident, an ambulance can't enter the street, he said. Another resident highlighted the lack of parking space, "To prevent other vehicles blocking our house entrance, I stand outside the house from evening until my husband reaches home."

Highlighting a few other concerns, a longtime resident, S Kannan, said, "During the Pongal holidays, everyone comes here and celebrates the festival, except us. Also, the food served is of poor quality. We urge the officials to take immediate action against the commercial establishments that breach the food quality rules."

Recently, the issue was raised by the ward 73 Councilor C Ambethvalavan in the council meeting. An official in the Chennai Corporation said, "After the query raised in the council meeting, we have planned to conduct door-to-door enumeration by checking the license type in the shops. The inspection will be conducted in the coming week."

Notably, last May, the Department of Labor Welfare and Skill Development issued a GO permitting businesses with 10 or more employees to operate 24/7 for three years starting June 5.

This initiative aims to benefit both traders and consumers through greater flexibility while fostering job growth and a more supportive business environment.