With a couple of State Ministers pushing for Madurai to be made the second capital of the State, Tiruchi MP Su.Thirunavukkarasar and a section of traders have sought to project the Rockfort city’s claim to the status that has remained unfulfilled for nearly four decades.
Tiruchi, they say, should be made the second capital of the State as envisaged by former Chief Minister late M.G.Ramachandran in the early 1980s.
On Tuesday, Mr. Thirunavukkarasar contended that Tiruchi’s vantage position in the central part of the State made it an ideal choice for developing the city as the second capital.
“Puratchi Thalaivar MGR proposed to make Tiruchi the second capital in view of increasing population and congestion in Chennai. I was the first person to put forward the request to make Tiruchi the second capital to him. Tiruchi is the heart of Tamil Nadu and can be reached within about four hours from any part of the State,” he said.
He suggested that all new head offices of government departments and agencies be set up in Tiruchi to reduce congestion in Chennai. Tiruchi had all amenities such as adequate water supply and infrastructure, including road, rail and air connectivity, required for a satellite city.
“Only after considering these advantages and consulting officials and experts did MGR announce his decision to make Tiruchi the second capital. But he was not able to execute his desire as his health was affected subsequently,” Mr. Thirunavukkarasar, who served as a Minister under the former Chief Minister, maintained.
Though all cities and towns in the cities were important, Tiruchi’s vantage location made it a better choice, he said pointing to the High Court bench functioning in Madurai.
He urged Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to rise above politics and go by the geographical advantage and people’s interest to initiate steps to make Tiruchi the second capital.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Traders Federation expressed shock over the Ministers’ demand.
“When Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran expressed his intent to make Tiruchi the second capital, the people of the city were overjoyed. It was unfortunate that his decision could not be implemented over the past 35 years despite persistent demands. It is regrettable that the Ministers from Madurai are trying to crush a 35-year-old demand in just three days,” said Ve. Govindarajalu, general secretary of the federation.
Tiruchi, besides its vantage position and good infrastructure, was also a city that was not largely affected by natural disasters. It was an education centre and a fabrication hub. The city had already lost out on projects such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital. The High Court Bench was also established in Madurai. Now attempts were being made to snatch away the city’s rightful claim to be the second capital of the State. Such attempts should be nipped in the bud, Mr. Govindarajalu said.
The federation vowed that a struggle committee comprising all sections of the city residents would be formed to take forward the demand and make Tiruchi the second capital of the State.