Elcot park techies seek better lighting, bus trips
Madurai: IT professionals working at the Elcot IT Park at Ilanthaikulam near Mattuthavani have urged the authorities to improve infrastructure and safety measures in and around Pandi Kovil ring road, citing poor lighting and lack of public transport.
These concerns were raised at a meeting with commercial taxes minister P Moorthy on Tuesday, when he visited the park.
The employees highlighted the urgent need for shuttle services linking the IT park to major transit points like Mattuthavani and Periyar bus stands. "It is difficult to return home safely after night shifts, especially for women. Many hesitate to ride two-wheelers at night due to poor lighting," said M Shanmuga Priya, a team lead at Chella Software.
Representatives from HCL added that they were willing to install LED streetlights around TIDEL Park area if permission was granted. The minister assured the employees that he would coordinate with TNSTC to initiate a shuttle route but the service should not cause losses to the transport corporation and have to be used regularly. On allowing companies to install LED lights, he said he would speak to the corporation commissioner.
Corporation commissioner Chitra Vijayan told TOI that the concerned stretch of Pandi Kovil ring road falls under Tamil Nadu Road Infrastructure Development Corporation (TNRIDC), which collects tolls for its maintenance. "However, we will coordinate with the district administration to find a workable solution for the lighting and safety concerns," she said.
Balamurugan Palani, president of Madurai Infrastructure and Development Group, proposed a comprehensive bus route connecting Ilanthaikulam and Vadapalanji Elcot IT parks.
It could pass through Mattuthavani, Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Pandi Kovil Junction, Gomathipuram, Aavin Junction, Anna Bus Stand, Goripalayam, Arapalayam, Kochadai, Achampattu, Virattipattu, Nagamalai Pudukottai, and end at Vadapalanji SEZ campus.
He stressed the need for increased patrolling, CCTV surveillance, and other safety measures to protect women techies commuting at odd hours.
Wrapping up the session, minister Moorthy said the Elcot IT Park project, initiated by former chief minister M Karunanidhi, helped generate local employment and transform Madurai into an emerging IT hub. With the upcoming TIDEL Park in Mattuthavani, the region is poised for further growth, he added. Earlier, the minister paid tributes to Karunanidhi at his statue at the park, on his birth anniversary.
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