Chennai Mayor Priya’s first promise: Clean road, new bridges, better drains

Mayors of newly-formed corporations Tamabaram, Avadi also take charge

Ministers PK Sekhar Babu and Ma Subramanian hand over the sceptre to R Priya after swearing in as the city. (Photo | P Jawahar, EPS)

CHENNAI: R Priya was sworn in as the mayor of Chennai on Friday. She was elected unopposed.
Dressed in her red mayoral robes, she was flanked by Health Minister Ma Subramanian and Minster for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments PK Sekar Babu as she was handed the sceptre and a gold medallion by Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi. The post was previously held by Health Minister Ma Subramanian and Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Before assuming office at the council hall in Ripon Building, Priya spoke highly of Chief Minister MK Stalin. While councillors from DMK and allies cheered her on, the 15 councillors belonging to AIADMK were absent from the ceremony.

Priya later told TNIE that stormwater drains and water stagnation will be among her immediate areas of focus. “I’m from North Chennai and I am aware of the water stagnation issue that needs to be addressed. Thalaivar (MK Stalin) also has plans to construct flyovers which I hope to implement soon,” she said.
Deputy mayor M Mahesh Kumar, also thanked MK Stalin’s son-in-law V Sabareesan, apart from the Chief Minister and Chepauk MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin in his speech.

Tambaram mayor K Vasanthakumari arrives on a two-wheeler

In Tambaram, 26-year-old K Vasanthakumari from DMK rode pillion in her father’s two-wheeler as she arrived to take charge as the corporation’s first mayor. Speaking to TNIE after the ceremony, she said, “My first priority is drinking water and roads. The first project I signed as mayor was to install LED street lights in all 70 wards.”

With two young women mayors in Chennai and Tambaram and a council where women outnumber men in Chennai, DMK’s women wing secretary K Kanimozhi told TNIE, “This is a step towards women empowerment in politics and the women should ensure they function independently.”

DMK’s G Udhayakumar, the first mayor of Avadi Corporation told TNIE, “I feel elated on being chosen as the mayor of the newly-formed Avadi Corporation and will work towards making it as a model corporation. The party high command has asked me to learn and fulfill the demands of the people. At first, we have decided to concentrate on providing underground drainage and metro water facilities to all areas in the corporation.”