MADURAI: The stretch from Ambedkar statue at Perungudi to Circuit House was painted with black and red colours, as tens of hundreds of people, clutching party flags and decorative balloons in their hand, converged to welcome Chief Minister MK Stalin, who carried out a 20-km roadshow on Saturday, the eve of DMK general council meeting.
Flanked by ministers P Moorthy and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Stalin got down from the van at several spots during the four-hour roadshow, the longest in Madurai, to interact with the public and pose for photographs with children.
Upon his arrival at Jaihindpuram by 7.30 pm, the chief minister inaugurated the newly-constructed shelter, built at a cost of Rs 50 lakh, near Veeramakaliamman temple. Stalin also inaugurated an under-bridge at TVS Nagar and unveiled a bronze statue of former Madurai mayor S Muthu near Jail Road.
Special security arrangements were made at the areas through which the roadshow passed — Avaniyapuram, Villapuram, Jaihindpuram, TVS Nagar, Palanganatham, By pass road, Arapalayam, Jail Road and Simmakkal.
Stalin is set to continue the road show on Sunday morning — from Circuit House to Uthangudi, via Puthur and Surveyor Colony — before taking part in the general council meeting in Uthangudi in Madurai.
It’s after a gap of four decades that Madurai is hosting the DMK general council meeting. Special security arrangements have been made at Uthangudi.
Following the roadshow, Stalin had dinner from the house of his brother and former union minister MK Alagiri at Satya Sai Nagar in Madurai.
TN Chamber of commerce and Industries submitted a memorandum to Stalin on Saturday.
In the petition, chamber president N Jegadeesan requested him to host the next investors meeting in Madurai in order to boost the industrial growth in Madurai and the southern districts. He also requested to declare Madurai as the second capital of Tamil Nadu, and ensure that the runway expansion work at the airport is carried out by constructing an underpass.
In view of the CM’s visit, authorities tried to conceal sewage-filled Panthalkudi canal along Kansapuram Main Road using screens. However, following protest from residents, the screens were later removed. While passing along the road, Stalin stopped mid-way, inspected the canal, and later, interacted with Collector MS Sangeetha and Corporation Commissioner Chitra Vijayan.
Sangeetha said a proposal for desilting the canal at a cost of Rs 23 crore has been made by the corporation, and plans are afoot to construct a side wall, costing Rs 63 crore. The CM urged the officials to begin the works at the earliest. Officials also apprised him about the works carried out at a cost of Rs 1 crore during last monsoon.