
Avinashi Road flyover works to be completed by August 15, says Minister
The Minister told the media the flyover would have eight ramps. Work on one ramp was delayed due to a legal case pending before the Madras High Court. The steel girders above the railway section (near Hope college) was over and the flyover work was progressing.
When asked about the absence of pedestrian subways along the flyover, the Minister said such facilities were generally not included in these types of projects. 'The focus is on the main carriageway and the entry and exit ramps. Once the project is completed, if a need arises, we will consider it,' he said.
The Minister also inspected the ongoing construction of the Thanthai Periyar Library and Science Centre in the city. He said the construction would be completed by December and the facility was expected to open in January. The library and science centre were developed at a cost of ₹300 crore and would cover 1,98,000 sq. ft.
To a question on the Talisman amulet (dhrishti bommai) placed at the construction site, the Minister said he did not support such practices. 'I am a Periyarist and do not encourage these. But the contractors may follow certain beliefs. I do not comment on that. Once the work is completed, there will not be any such structures,' he said.

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The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Avinashi Road flyover works to be completed by August 15, says Minister
A flyover that is under construction on Avinashi Road in Coimbatore city will be completed by August 15, Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu said here on Saturday. The ₹1,791.23-crore project spans 10.1 km from Uppilipalayam to Goldwins. The Minister told the media the flyover would have eight ramps. Work on one ramp was delayed due to a legal case pending before the Madras High Court. The steel girders above the railway section (near Hope college) was over and the flyover work was progressing. When asked about the absence of pedestrian subways along the flyover, the Minister said such facilities were generally not included in these types of projects. 'The focus is on the main carriageway and the entry and exit ramps. Once the project is completed, if a need arises, we will consider it,' he said. The Minister also inspected the ongoing construction of the Thanthai Periyar Library and Science Centre in the city. He said the construction would be completed by December and the facility was expected to open in January. The library and science centre were developed at a cost of ₹300 crore and would cover 1,98,000 sq. ft. To a question on the Talisman amulet (dhrishti bommai) placed at the construction site, the Minister said he did not support such practices. 'I am a Periyarist and do not encourage these. But the contractors may follow certain beliefs. I do not comment on that. Once the work is completed, there will not be any such structures,' he said.

The Hindu
5 days ago
- The Hindu
Plea to restore Dhyana Mandapam, keep it open for devotees
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday sought response from authorities to a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to restore Dhyana Mandapam in Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai and keep it open for devotees. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete was hearing the petition filed by V. Karuppu of Madurai. The petitioner said Dhyana Mandapam was designed to facilitate meditation. The Dhyana Mandapam served as a designated space for quiet contemplation, promoting inner peace and fostering a connection with the divine or the universal consciousness. However, the authorities have prevented the devotees and the public from meditating in this hall and started to use it as a store house to keep the wooden logs, iron bars and other temple goods. Now, the meditation hall is in a bad condition and is not being maintained properly, he said. The meditation hall is part and parcel of the temple. To use the meditation hall as a store house and to prevent devotees from meditating was totally against the Vedic principles based on which the temple was designed and constructed. The authorities cannot act against the Vedic principles, he said. The petitioner said he had written to the authorities to restore Dhyana Mandapam to its original position and allow the public to meditate in the hall. However, his efforts had failed, he said and sought a direction to the HR and CE authorities to restore Dhyana Mandapam to its original condition and keep it open for the devotees.


The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Rain revives fish farming in irrigation tank near Tiruvannamalai
Fish farming in an irrigation tank, which is maintained by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), at Melathikkan village near Tiruvannamalai town has been revived for the season due to rain in recent weeks, resulting in steady rise of waterflow to the tank. Accompanied by Collector K. Tharpagaraj, Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu released young fish in the tank on Wednesday as part of fish cultivation by farmers in the region. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation (TNFDC), which maintains fish farms in the district, said that fish cultivation, including harvesting, is done during May to August due to the steady reduction of hot weather and gradual rise in water level due to south-west monsoon. These months also help to retain adequate oxygen in the farming area of the tank due to slow evaporation. Also, as the water level is almost steady, fishing in the waters in the tank remains safe for fishermen. 'Local fishermen from the neighbouring Edapalayam village have been doing the job for many years. Such roping of local skilled workers helps to prevent poaching and also provides jobs for them,' S. Velan, Assistant Director (AD), Department of Fisheries (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu. At Melathikkan tank, Catla, Roya and Mithila are the preferred freshwater fish varieties that are cultivated with acumen, involving local fishermen and officials of the fisheries department. These fish varieties were chosen at least for two reasons - speedy growth and good taste, especially for spicy fish curries. They weighed over one kg in three months after they were left in the tank. As per norms, each hectare of tank area, on average, should release around 2,000 fish should be released to maintain the fish growth in the tank. In other words, 60% of the total area of the tank should be the total number of fish released. Divided into forenoon and afternoon, fishing in the tank will be done by 18 units of local fishermen, closely monitored by the officials. Each unit has at least two fishermen in a coracle with a target of 20kg per team everyday. In other words, fishing in the tank should yield at least 0.5 tonnes (500 kgs) daily especially during the peak month of August. These fishermen are paid on a daily basis. Of the total catch, one-third goes for local consumption with the rest goes to the government-run stalls and buyers in the State.