After torrential rains pounded Chennai and the neighbouring districts due to cyclone Michaung, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 announced the postponement of the Formula 4 night street race in Chennai that was scheduled on December 9 and 10.
As officials and workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation and various State government departments were involved in rescue and relief operations, it was postponing the Formula 4 night street race, an official release said.
The circuit for the race passes through Flag Staff Road and then a part of Kamarajar Salai through Napier Bridge before taking a turn at Sivanandam Salai to join a part of Anna Salai and then get connected back to Flag Staff Road. The pit stops for the race had been planned inside the Island Grounds.
Earlier in the day, the first Division Bench of the Madras High Court led by Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala referred to the third Division Bench led by Justice R. Mahadevan the three public interest litigation petitions filed against the proposed conduct of Formula 4 night street race in Chennai on December 9 and 10.
When the cases were listed on December 1, the Bench led by Justice Mahadevan had called for a MoU entered between Tamil Nadu government and the private entity, Racing Promotions Private Limited, for conducting the race.
The judges had wanted to know if the State government would also get any revenue out of the sponsorships, broadcast rights and so on for the events to be conducted by the private company on the Madras Street Race Circuit being established on the public roads around the Island grounds in Chennai.
On December 2, the Leader of Opposition and the AIAIDMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami flayed the conduct of the race. Mr. Palaniswami said the government has decided to spend ₹42 crore on road expansion and repair works for conducting the Formula 4 night street race. Already, there was a track for conducting races at Irungattukottai in Chennai. “While not allocating funds for Amma Canteens, the State government is funding car race along roads where the High Court, General Hospital, and Railway Station are situated. This race will only be viewed by upper-class people and does not benefit poor people,” he criticised.
