TIRUCHY: Industry representatives in Tiruchy struck a cautious but constructive note while reacting to the state’s Interim Budget for 2026-27, observing that while major announcements were not expected in an interim exercise, several long-pending civic and trade infrastructure demands of the region remain unaddressed.
Ajay Jayaraj, chairman of CII Tiruchy Zone, said the government’s continued thrust on infrastructure creation and MSME support would strengthen the industrial ecosystem of central Tamil Nadu. Highlighting key positives, he pointed to the commencement of the construction of Grand Chola Museum in Thanjavur under a Rs 285-crore cultural project, the proposed riverfront development along the Cauvery in Tiruchy and Thanjavur with an allocation of Rs 374 crore, and sustained investments in rural connectivity through the Mudhalvarin Grama Salaigal Membattu Thittam.
However, other stakeholders expressed disappointment over what they termed missed opportunities. VB Jeganathan of Trichy Intra-City Development Endeavours (TIDES) flagged unmet expectations such as strengthening TNSTC-Tiruchy operations, the Palpannai-Thuvakudi service road, the northern ring road, and the long-articulated demand to develop Tiruchy as a second capital. Exporters echoed similar concerns from a trade perspective.
N Kanagasabapathi, president of the Tiruchy Export-Import Association, pointed out that the budget had no mention about establishing a Free Trade Warehousing Zone or dedicated incentives for air cargo, despite the city’s rapidly expanding international airport. Overall, industry representatives said the interim budget signalled policy continuity and intent, but urged the state government to address Tiruchy’s structural infrastructure and trade bottlenecks in the full budget later this year.