Both Chennai and Madurai are thriving. Everyone is purchasing something or the other, busy commuting here and there, having a more "outside" lifestyle than I am used to. The past 20 years has seen a massive urban migration. Population with a morbid desire to buy property. But unfortunately both the cities' infrastructure is just not able to keep up with this level of hyper growth. The roads, water supply, electricity, sewage and garbage disposal are working barely, bursting through the seams. Madurai is paticularly bad.
But the most depressing part is the apathy.