COIMBATORE: A heated argument broke out during the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation's (CCMC) monthly council meeting on Tuesday, after AIADMK councillor Prabhakaran demanded that a resolution be passed thanking former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and former minister SP Velumani for initiating the GD Naidu flyover project in the city.
The meeting was presided over by Mayor K Ranganayaki. Deputy Mayor Vetriselvan and CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran attended the meeting. The session began with a resolution moved by the Central Zone chairperson, Meena Logu, paying homage to 41 people who recently lost their lives in the Karur stampede. Councillors stood in silence to pay their respects.
Following this, the mayor introduced a resolution thanking Chief Minister MK Stalin for completing the 10.1km GD Naidu flyover project, constructed at a cost of Rs 1,791 crore. Following this, councillor Prabhakaran objected to the resolution, asserting that the project was actually initiated during the previous AIADMK regime under EPS and SP Velumani, and both leaders deserved formal recognition in the resolution.
This sparked a heated exchange between AIADMK and DMK councillors. Meena Logu responded that while the project was indeed initiated earlier, only about 5% of the work was completed under the previous government, and that the DMK administration had executed the bulk of the project. Mayor Ranganayaki reiterated that the project's completion was made possible under the current regime.
Earlier, Central Zone chairperson Meena Logu and North Zone chairperson V Kathirvel pointed out how the AIADMK sabotaged the Gandhipuram twin flyover projects.
"The two flyovers on Dr Nanjappa Road and the 100 feet road in Gandhipuram were originally planned and designed as a twin flyover along with a roundabout at the intersecting junction during the DMK regime. However, the designs and plans were completely changed by the AIADMK government, making them completely useless. Unlike the AIADMK, our DMK government didn't sabotage and instead, successfully completed the GD Naidu flyover," Kathirvel said.
Tempers flared as AIADMK councillors shouted slogans praising EPS and Velumani, while DMK cadres countered with slogans hailing former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and CM Stalin. The situation escalated into a ruckus, forcing a temporary disruption of proceedings.
Amid chaos, AIADMK councillors Prabhakaran and Ramesh staged a walkout. Speaking to reporters later, Prabhakaran said that AIADMK had completed 55% of the flyover's work, not 5% as claimed by DMK members. "The project was conceived and implemented under our rule. It is unfair to deny credit to our leaders," he said.