Residents living along the city stretch of Tiruchi-Thanjavur National Highway have expressed disappointment over DMK’s unfulfilled election promise of building service roads along the city-stretch of the highway.
“For more than a decade, the residents have been demanding the construction of a service road between Palpannai and Thuvakudi, a project vital for public safety. But despite repeated assurances and inclusion as a prime election promise, the project remains stalled. It is highly regrettable that it continues to remain the primary but perpetual poll promise,’ S. Subramanian, president, and K. Rajendran, general secretary, Trichy-Palpannai-Thuvakudi Service Road Meetpu Kootamaippu, said in a representation addressed to School Education Minister and Tiruverumbur MLA Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi recently.
Though ₹84.5 crore was allocated in 2011 for land acquisition, no field work has taken place in the last five years beyond consultations and public hearings. Between 2021 and 2024, this neglected stretch witnessed thousands of accidents, leaving more than 500 injured and over 300 dead, they claimed.
The project was even listed as top priority in the constituency by the local MLA when Chief Minister M. K. Stalin sought inputs from legislators soon after taking charge. Yet, despite multiple representations and meetings with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Finance Minister, Municipal Administration Minister, Highways Minister, senior officials, and the National Highways Authority of India, the project is yet to take off, they rued.
Recently, the federation submitted a representation to Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi, who heads the party’s manifesto committee, pressing the demand.
The federation appealed to the Minister to take steps to execute the project in line with the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) 2019 order and commence the work project ahead of the issue of notification for the Assembly election.
Published – February 04, 2026 07:54 pm IST
