Chennai, Oct 19:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has announced a series of development projects for Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district, covering drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, healthcare, education, tourism and urban infrastructure. The announcements come after the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) won both constituencies in the October 6 Assembly bypolls, with counting held on October 9.
For Dharapuram, the Chief Minister announced a ₹1,439-crore combined drinking water scheme covering 1,232 rural habitations. The plans also include distributing 2,700 free house-site pattas, desilting irrigation channels across 271 km at a cost of around ₹10 crore, improving drinking water infrastructure and establishing a new fire and rescue station at Mulanur. Improvements to water supply facilities in Dharapuram, Mulanur and Kundadam are also among the proposed works.
In Madurantakam, the projects include constructing a check dam across Pukkathurai stream at Athimanam at a cost of ₹5 crore and renovating lake sluices at Sembundi for ₹4.5 crore. Six paddy procurement centres will be established at a cost of ₹1.8 crore, while a 20,000-tonne semi-covered paddy storage facility will be constructed at Aathur for ₹20 crore. A government women’s arts and science college will be established at Acharapakkam at a cost of ₹20 crore, and the Madurantakam Government Hospital will get an accident and emergency care unit costing ₹10 crore.
Other proposals for Madurantakam include improvements to the high-level canal, a tourism park near the lake, a working women’s hostel, an intellectual centre for youth and additional bus services. The government has instructed the departments concerned to expedite the implementation of the announced projects.
The announcements follow TVK’s victories in both constituencies in the bypolls. In Madurantakam, former AIADMK MLA Maragatham Kumaravel contested on a TVK ticket after resigning from the AIADMK and joining Vijay’s party. In Dharapuram, former AIADMK MLA P Sathyabama also contested as a TVK candidate after leaving her former party. Sathyabama defeated DMK candidate S Suganya, polling 66,841 votes against her rival’s 57,370. The twin victories increased TVK’s strength in the Assembly to 109, consolidating its position in the House.