THOOTHUKUDI: C Venkatesh, a tourist car driver who operates between Tiruchendur and Thoothukudi, starts every trip with a prayer, hoping for traffic free road, as any hold up on the narrow road reduces the journey to a slow crawl.
Traffic snarls begin nearly 20 km ahead of the temple town, at Authoor, where the bottleneck is further aggravated by the Arumuganeri railway gate that is closed at least 14 times a day. The road is so narrow that two cars can barely pass each other. Whenever a bus or truck approaches from the opposite direction, one vehicle is often forced to get off the road and into the banana farms that dot the stretch.
Amid the traffic gridlock which leaves locals and tourists frustrated, the sitting MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan of the DMK is seeking re-election for a seventh term even as the issues remain largely unaddressed. Residents say the road must either be widened or a new bypass constructed around villages like Authoor and Arumuganeri to improve access to the Tiruchendur Murugan temple.
Over the years, successive DMK and AIADMK governments have failed to widen this crucial road. Despite the Tiruchendur temple hosting five major festivals in a year that draw several thousands of people from across the state, traffic and crowd management remains a struggle for police.
“Traffic worsens during festivals and poses a risk to road users. My daughter, who studies at a nearby private school, struggles to cross the road and reach home,” says G Anandhakumar, a resident.
Woes inside the temple
Inside the temple, devotees face another ordeal - long waiting hours for darshan. A Barathi Guru from Umarikadu recounts waiting for nearly eight hours for general (free) darshan during weekends and festivals. Even paid darshan, priced at around Rs 100 per person, involves waiting for up to six hours, he said.
The lack of basic amenities such as seating and toilets adds to the discomfort.
Despite significant renovation work, most of which is funded by donors, the waiting time for darshan remains unchanged. “No government has bothered about the difficulties of the devotees. Women and children find it very strenuous to stand in long queues,” says B Lakshmi. Anandhakumar suggests introducing an online ticketing system that allows devotees to book time slots for darshan.
A temple staff member said as many as 1.5 lakh devotees visit the temple on weekends and festivals/ He suggested introducing break hours between darshans and allocating separate time slots for VIPs and donors.
Civic infra under strain
Beyond traffic and temple management, civic infrastructure in the town is under a strain. S Shanmugasundaram, a resident of Sannathitheru Road, said sewage overflows frequently from the clogged underground drain through manholes, particularly when tourist inflow is high during festivals . “It happens whenever the number of devotees rises and hotels and lodges are full,” he said. Illegal accommodations further exacerbate the problem. Many operate from residential buildings, allegedly evading proper taxation. “These lodges are sprouting by bribing civic officials,” alleges an advocate who did not want to be identified.
Demographically diverse
Tiruchendur is also a demographically diverse constituency, with a sizable population of minorities, including Muslims in Kayalpattinam, Roman Catholics in coastal fishing hamlets, and Christian Nadars across the region.
Promises in focus
Amid these challenges, political promises are in focus. DMK candidate Anitha R Radhakrishnan, has pledged to upgrade the Murugan temple on a par with Tirumala and develop the municipality into a corporation. He has also promised to secure dedicated funds to revive the underground drainage system.
On the other side, BJP candidate KRM Radhakrishnan, who contested on an AIADMK ticket in 2021 and lost by a margin of 25,263 votes, has proposed two hours of free daily darshan for locals. He has also promised to address infrastructure gaps.
Speaking to TNIE, BJP south district president R Chitrangadhan said public dissatisfaction could work in his party’s favour. “Anitha R Radhakrishnan has represented the temple city for 25 years but failed to deliver improvements. Devotees still wait for several hours for darshan,” he says. He also highlights the industrial developments, including the establishment of the Kulasekarapattinam ISRO rocket launchpad, which he says has generated employment opportunities. Meanwhile, the DMK-led government points to the completion of Udangudi supercritical thermal power plant, initiated in 2009, as a step to address unemployment.
Concerns remain
Fishermen in coastal villages such as Alanthalai, Kallamozhi, and Manapad say the offshore coal jetty structure extending 8-km into the sea has become a barrier to their livelihood. The lack of a sea ambulance. “Whenever fishermen go missing, we have to deploy our own boats and search operations,” says Vinod Fernando of Manapad. As Tiruchendur heads into another election, voices from its roads, temple queues, and coastal waters echo cacophony where development remains uneven - and where both faith and frustration run deep.