Residents Launch Project to Improve Mada Streets

The 1981 Tamil movie Andha Ezhu Naatkal, partly filmed on
Thiruvanmiyur Mada Street, showed a peaceful neighbourhood with
shady seating areas, a temple gopuram still being built, wide
footpaths, and open spaces around the temple tank.
Today, the area looks very different. The streets are crowded,
footpaths are missing, vehicles are parked everywhere, and many
corners are filled with garbage. This has made it hard for people
to walk around the four Mada Streets near the Marundeeswarar Temple.
But things may improve soon. To fix the problems in the neighbourhood
and plan for a better future, residents, vendors, and even some
tourists have come together to start Project Thiruvanmiyur Mada
Street. The event will take place near the Anna Statue on East
Mada Street on November 14 and 15.
This community-led project includes a photo exhibition, live
sketching, and guided conversations to collect ideas from local
people. The organisers want to understand the difficulties faced
by everyone who uses the area — residents, shopkeepers, commuters,
temple visitors, and vendors — so they can suggest better public
spaces for the neighbourhood.