COIMBATORE: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly election drawing closer, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation's (CCMC) annual budget for 2026-27 has triggered sharp criticism from the opposition, which termed it a "recycled" document lacking fresh vision or tangible progress.
The budget, tabled on Monday, contained no major new project announcements, a move that surprised many observers who expected a politically significant year to bring ambitious proposals. Instead, several projects announced in previous years, some dating back four years, were reiterated once again, drawing flak from opposition councillors.
AIADMK floor leader Prabhakaran staged a walkout during the meeting, accusing the civic body of presenting what he described as a "blank budget" offering no real benefit to residents. "There is no difference between the Mayor's previous year's budget speech and this one. There are no new projects, only announcements that have not been fulfilled," he alleged.
He pointed out that initiatives such as smart classrooms in Corporation schools and free full-body health check-ups for women under the public health department had been announced in earlier budgets but remain unrealised. Similarly, the proposal for a multi-level parking facility on Cross Cut Road, first mentioned last year, has been repeated without visible progress.
Prabhakaran also criticised the absence of new measures to desilt waterbodies choked with water hyacinth and questioned the delay in setting up a cricket stadium, a project that had earlier been publicly discussed by state ministers.
He contrasted the current administration's record with past AIADMK-led infrastructure initiatives such as flyovers on Avinashi Road, Sathy Road and Mettupalayam Road, and claimed the city corporation had seen little advancement in recent years.
The repeated announcement of a proposed bird sanctuary at VOC Zoo was also flagged by the opposition, which dismissed the budget as a "photo-shoot exercise" lacking substance.
Echoing similar concerns, CPI councillor Shanthi observed that even the routine mention of scheme road projects, a feature of previous budgets, was absent this year. Calling it "a worrying sign," she urged the Commissioner to ensure that at least the long-pending scheme roads are implemented this year.
Adding to the criticism, opposition members noted that the Corporation included projects funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions and those already in progress in its budget list. They also alleged a lack of transparency, pointing out that the CCMC did not release a detailed status report on projects announced in earlier sessions, whether implemented, ongoing or dropped.
Responding to the allegations, Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran and Mayor K Ranganayaki attributed the repetition of projects to procedural and funding delays. Speaking to TNIE, the Commissioner said, "In several cases, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) were prepared and sent to the government for approval and funds. We are yet to receive the nod. In some instances, DPRs had to be revised based on government inputs. These factors have led to delays."
On the omission of scheme roads, he termed it a clerical error and assured that the projects would be taken up. He also clarified that projects under the 'Namaku Naame' scheme involve CCMC contributions, justifying their inclusion in the budget.