The Tamil Nadu government will explore the possibility of expanding civic amenities available in Madurai city to its peripheral areas, Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru said in the Assembly on Friday.
He was responding to a question raised by AIADMK MLA V.V. Rajan Chellappa (Tirupparankundram), who wanted the Perungudi village panchayat that houses the airport; the Thoppur village panchayat where the AIIMS is proposed; and the Nagamalaipudukottai village panchayat where Madurai Kamaraj University is located to be included in the expanded Madurai Municipal Corporation.
The Minister also recalled that an underground sewerage would be implemented in the city at a cost of over ₹500 crore on the direction of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and said the MLA’s request would be considered based on the availability of resources.
Another AIADMK MLA Sellur K. Raju (Madurai West) wanted the government to declare the Madurai Mariamman Theppakulam a tourist spot and provide the area with amenities.
In his reply, Tourism Minister M. Mathiventhan said DMK MLA M. Boominathan (Madurai South) had also made a similar request and said the lake was under the control of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.
“After getting a no-objection certificate from the HR&CE Department, the Collector would send a proposal in this regard and it would be considered in future,” he said.
When Mr. Raju kept insisting that there were no recreation facilities for people of Madurai city, Minister for Industries Thangam Thennarasu intervened and said in a lighter vein, “It is well known that ‘Annan’ ( brother ) Sellur Raju is the best recreation for the whole of Madurai.”
