Chennai chooses to remain indoors, stays glued to TV

The only shops that were crowded on Thursday were those selling home appliances. Not because they were offering any discounts, but because the latest LED flat screens on display were showing the Lok Sabha election results.
Many in the city chose to stay indoors, while it was business as usual in commercial hubs and business establishments only that customers were missing. “The day was similar to the days when India-Pakistan cricket matches are played. People simply walk in to watch television and we don’t know who the real customer is,” said Saravanan, an employee at a home appliance store in T Nagar.
Except for roads leading to counting centres at Nungambakkam, Guindy and Kamarajar Salai, arterial stretches like Anna Salai and Poonamallee High Road were either near empty or were busy with freeflowing traffic during the morning rush hour. There were fewer vehicles on stretches like Chamiers Road in Nandanam and Venkatnarayana Road in T Nagar and those closer to the counting centres like Habibullah Road and Nelson Manickam Road, particularly in the afternoon when the counting was at its peak.
While it was just any other day in government offices, many working with corporates chose to work from home fearing violence. Almost all of them kept themselves updated with the results, through TV or through their smartphones.
“My entire team worked from home because we wanted to avoid the chaos near the counting centres, the traffic and the violence in case it happens,” said Sundar S, a techie with a private firm on OMR.
Violence was the common concern among many, particularly women. Karthiyani Kumar said, “I took leave from work today, since we have been advised to stay indoors.”
Transport services like MTC, metro rail and suburban trains operated with their usual fleet but were largely empty, even during peak hours. Those who chose to work had a tough time finding cabs or autos and had to haggle with autorickshaw drivers.
Shankar of Aminjikarai stayed at home and even persuaded his wife and children to take some time off from work. “All of us coming together is a very rare occurrence these days,” he said.
Groups huddled over a cuppa at teashops, some happy, others distraught. As the results came out, small celebrations erupted in a few places. Residents of a slum tenement near Sixth Avenue, Ashok Nagar, set off fireworks cheering for the DMK. Drivers resting at autorickshaw stands put up party flags, played patriotic songs and discussed the trend. Some even took joyrides across the city. “I didn’t care about business. I switched off my phone app and took a ride alone to celebrate my party’s win,” said Narayanan, who rides for a cab aggregator.