SALEM: Concerns over limited developmental activity in Salem over the past five years are emerging as a key talking point ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, with many residents stating that the district has not seen major new projects or big investments in fronts such as agriculture and industries.
V Surendran, a resident of Nilavarapatti in Veerapandi constituency, said major developmental projects have not come to the district in recent years. "Earlier, Salem saw big projects like the double-decker bridge which reduced traffic congestion in the city and the livestock research centre at Thalaivasal, set up at a cost of over Rs 500 crore. Now, apart from small works, there is nothing substantial," he said.
Echoing his claims, Dhaneesh Ram MV, a PhD scholar from Salem, pointed to the absence of large industrial projects. "For a city like Salem, we could have had a full-fledged Tidel Park or new SIPCOT units to generate employment. Instead, such investments are missing. Development should be more evenly spread," he said.
Farmers also flagged gaps in sector-specific initiatives. VS Govinda Raj, a farmer from Pethanaickenpalayam in Attur, said that while general welfare schemes are being implemented, there have been no new water management projects, irrigation schemes or agriculture-focused initiatives for the district. "Earlier, schemes like Cauvery Surplus Water Scheme directly supported farmers. But in recent years, we have not seen similar efforts," he said.
Some sections also link this to political representation. Salem has 11 Assembly constituencies, of which 10 were won by the AIADMK alliance in 2021, with the lone seat going to Tourism Minister R Rajendran of the DMK. Residents say this may have affected the district's share of new projects.
At the same time, projects announced in the district have also faced challenges. A silver anklet manufacturing unit at Ariyagoundampatti, set up at Rs 25.29 crore to fulfill a long-pending demand, remains largely unoccupied even a year after its inauguration in March 2024. Similarly, the Salem textile park worth Rs 880 crore has run into uncertainty due to opposition over dyeing units, with works currently halted.
Responding to these concerns, Salem MP TM Selvaganapathy said the government has taken up key projects in the district. "The silver anklet unit and textile park are major projects. There is some opposition to the textile park, but we are taking representations and working to move forward. The project has already been sanctioned," he said.
"Mulluvadi Gate bridge, Ponnampet bridge and rural road upgrades have been completed. Sports stadiums are coming up, and work on the Bharathidasan Library at Rs 103 crore is ongoing. Knowledge centres have also been created," he added.
Meanwhile, stakeholders from the trade sector had a positive opinion. A Jayaseelan, general secretary of the Salem City Chamber of Commerce, said, "In terms of trade and MSME development, the government has done fairly well and traders in Salem have benefited."
However, leaders from the opposition parties have been more critical. S Semmalai, former minister and organising secretary of the AIADMK, said that the government has not initiated major new projects and has also not moved forward with earlier proposals.
"Projects like the new bus terminus to reduce congestion and the Salem outer ring road have not progressed, even though land was identified," he said. "Most of the inaugurations done now are projects started during our (AIADMK) period."
He also raised concerns over Smart City works. "There are issues in maintenance and several irregularities," he said, adding that Salem appears to have been deliberately neglected on the development front.