Chennai experienced a transformed landscape on April 23 as the city went to vote. Empty roads, brisk biriyani sales, crowded juice stalls where youngsters flaunted their inked fingers, and cab drivers charging higher fares characterized the day.
City's Usual Bustle Disappears
As voting commenced, the characteristic hustle and bustle that defines Chennai disappeared. Public transport operated with lighter loads, cinema theatres opened only in the evening, and shop shutters remained half-closed. Traffic on arterial roads, including NSC Bose Road, Anna Salai, and T Nagar, was sparse as people made their way to nearby polling stations.
Rajesh, a vegetable vendor in Mylapore, noted the change. "It's always like this on election days," he said, adding that he had fewer customers than on regular mornings. "People are either at the booths or staying indoors. Business doesn't pick up until evening."
Biriyani Stands See Unexpected Surge
In contrast, biriyani stands and street vendors witnessed an unexpected surge in sales. Ezhilarasi, who runs a biriyani stall in R K Nagar, reported that the sale today was much higher than on normal weekdays. "People come after voting. Some orders were pre-booked," she said.
A restaurant manager on NSC Bose Road echoed this sentiment. "We've never seen such brisk afternoon sales on an election day before. Families seem to be celebrating their civic duty with a meal out," he remarked.
Evening Transformation: Malls and Cinemas
As evening descended and polling booths began shutting down, the city's commercial landscape transformed dramatically. Shopping malls across Chennai witnessed an unexpected surge in footfall. Aslam Packeer Mohamed, managing director of Marina Mall, explained that they had delayed opening to help staff cast their votes, but most malls were open by noon.
Meanwhile, Tirupur Subramaniam from the Tamil Nadu Theatres Association confirmed that film shows were allowed to commence only after 6 pm, when polling ended. This led to a delayed but active evening for cinemas.
Overall, the election day in Chennai showcased a unique rhythm, with roads emptying during voting hours and commercial activities picking up later in the day.
