Tamil Nadu CM Vijay inaugurates new bus stand at Pudukottai

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay having a look at farming equipment during a government function at Pudukottai Collectorate on Monday.

On his maiden visit to Pudukottai after assuming office, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday distributed welfare assistance of ₹62.73 crore to 13,676 beneficiaries in the district and inaugurated the redeveloped new bus stand in the town.

Mr. Vijay inaugurated 44 completed projects worth ₹68.31 crore and laid the foundation for 70 new works worth ₹11.72 crore but did not address the gathering at the function organised by the district administration at the Collectorate.

The venue of the event, planned to be held at the District Armed Reserve grounds, was changed all of a sudden in the late hours on Sunday to the annexe building inside the sprawling District Collectorate premises where arrangements were made in a swift manner. Prior to that the Armed Reserve ground was being prepared on a feverish pace there to host the event.

Later, Mr. Vijay inaugurated the new bus stand that was redeveloped after the old structures were demolished and rebuilt at a cost of ₹23.25 crore. He went around the facility for about 15 minutes accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, P. Madhusudhan Reddy, Director of Municipal Administration, and other officials.

Constructed by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply department on an area measuring 20,077 square metres, the new bus stand has 60 bays, 74 shops, a couple of restaurants, passenger waiting hall, and toilets. It has a police control room, a feeding room, and a reverse osmosis plant among other facilities.

The other projects inaugurated by the Chief Minister include the Arivusaar Maiyam (Knowledge Centre) constructed at Santhaipettai in Alangudi town panchayat and a seed storage godown at Vamban in Thiruvarankulam taluk.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, who arrived by a special flight at the Tiruchi International Airport from Chennai in the morning reached Pudukottai by road. Public and partymen lined up and cheered the Chief Minister at various points along the nearly 50-km Tiruchi-Pudukottai national highway stretch.

The Chief Minister reached the Pudukottai District Collectorate around 11.40 a.m. He was received by the Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development J. Mohamed Farvas and District Collector M. Aruna at the entrance of the annexe building. After receiving a guard of honour, Mr. Vijay had a look at the farm equipment kept on display and proceeded to the function venue.

Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources N. Anand, Lok Sabha MPs Durai Vaiko, S. Jothimani, and K. Navas Kani, Gandharvakottai MLA N. Subramanian and senior officials participated. After distributing welfare assistance to beneficiaries, Mr. Vijay received petitions from a few members of the public.

Thereafter, the Chief Minister proceeded on board his customised vehicle to the new bus stand in the town with crowds cheering him along the stretch braving the intense heat. A few of them standing near the bus stand fainted and were immediately shifted from the spot by the police personnel and given first aid.