Thirumullaivoyal faces infrastructure hurdles as roads and water remain unreliable
Chennai’s fast-developing western suburb Thirumullaivoyal, wedged between Avadi and Ambattur along the bustling Chennai-Tiruvallur High Road, continues to wrestle with severe civic inadequacies that belie its rising real estate value. While the locality finds itself on the growth radar, it remains mired in challenges ranging from neglected waterbodies and poor drainage systems to unmotorable roads and deficient water supply.
Though part of the Avadi Municipal Corporation, Thirumullaivoyal reflects a pattern all too familiar on the fringes of Chennai — patchy infrastructure amid unchecked urbanisation. Despite promises of development, large parts of this suburb still lack underground drainage systems and consistent drinking water access. At the heart of these issues is Arafath Eri, a vital waterbody in the area, now overwhelmed by encroachments and untreated sewage inflow.
Once spreading over nearly 61 hectares, Arafath Eri has now shrunk to just over 13 hectares. Water hyacinth blankets its surface, while sewage from localities like Manikandapuram and Balaji Nagar finds its way into the lake via stormwater drains. Activists like S. Sundaramurthy, who heads the Puzhal Eri Arafath Eri Padhukappu Makkal Iyakkam, argue that unless Thirumullaivoyal gets a functional underground sewer system and its two sewage treatment plants are made operational, the lake will continue to serve as a cesspool instead of a water recharge zone. The recent visit by Minister for Minorities Welfare to inspect the lake has kindled hope among residents. However, locals remain sceptical, pointing out that encroachments around the waterbody have been allowed to flourish and the area near the Arikambedu-Thirumullaivoyal junction is now little more than a garbage dumping site. Residents have called for the removal of these encroachments and the transformation of the lake into a recreational space — a move that municipal authorities claim is already under planning.
Zone 2 Chairman of the Avadi Municipal Corporation,revealed that a proposal is being prepared to develop Arafath Eri into an eco-park modeled on the successful Paruthipattu lake initiative. Plans include constructing pavements, children’s play areas, and introducing boat rides to convert the deteriorating lake into a vibrant community hub. But lake revival isn’t the only problem dragging down this suburb. While 80% of the locality is now covered by the water distribution network, several areas such as Srinagar Colony, Saraswathi Nagar, and M.G.R. Nagar still await actual connections, years after paying deposits. Residents of Srinagar Colony complain that even where pipelines exist, the water pressure is so low that people continue to rely on borewells and tankers.
Equally dire is the condition of the roads. Localities like Sakthi Nagar, Venkatachalam Nagar, and Saraswathi Nagar still lack basic blacktopped streets, despite being in a well-connected zone served by trains and buses. Chozhambedu Main Road — a key arterial stretch linking several residential neighbourhoods to C.T.H. Road — is pockmarked and dangerous, having been left unrepaired after repeated digging for infrastructure work. Residents say roads like those in Manikandapuram remain riddled with potholes, causing discomfort and damage to vehicles daily. Municipal officials claim repairs are now under way. A ₹2 crore project has been sanctioned for relaying damaged roads, including Manikandapuram and stretches of Chozhambedu Main Road, with restoration of the latter expected within 10 days. The two sewage treatment plants at Manikandapuram 9th Street and near C.T.H. Road are also set to be revived to reduce sewage flowing into local water bodies.
An overhead tank at Nagammai Nagar is nearing completion and is expected to extend water supply to the remaining streets. In the long term, civic authorities are betting on infrastructure-led transformation to match the pace of Thirumullaivoyal’s residential expansion. But for now, broken promises, incomplete systems, and neglected water bodies continue to mar its progress.
As the suburb teeters between promise and neglect, residents remain cautiously hopeful. The next few months could decide whether Thirumullaivoyal becomes a model for integrated suburban development or slips further into a tale of haphazard growth.
