Latest news with #KPalaniswami
Time of India
03-08-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Shoppers stranded as MLCP closes
Chennai: Weekend shoppers in T Nagar were caught off guard as the multi-level car parking (MLCP) abruptly shut down on Saturday, forcing many to turn back. With barely any staff in sight and barricades blocking entry, customers were left scrambling for parking space during the busy Aadi shopping season. The 40crore facility, inaugurated in 2021 by the then chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, had been operated by a private firm whose contract ended recently. It was later handed over to another company on a temporary basis. "They ran it for a year, and now their term has also ended. So from Saturday, the shutters were down. As it's Aadi, there were many shoppers," said a Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) official. A lone security guard at the site placed red barricades at the entrance and was seen responding to confused and angry motorists. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai "I came in the afternoon expecting to find space, but on-road parking was full and the MLCP was closed. I had to park on Masilamani Road, but the traffic police locked my vehicle as it was a no-parking zone," said K Jagadeesan from Manapakkam. Senthamarai Kumaresan from Vadapalani, who came on her two-wheeler, was also turned away. "GCC should have at least issued a closure notice. During Aadi, footfall is high in T Nagar, yet the civic body has shut down the MLCP. Some temporary arrangements should be made immediately," she said. The MLCP can accommodate 222 cars and 513 two-wheelers, with three car lifts and one bike lift. While bikes are parked in the basement and terrace, cars are accommodated across six floors each floor holding 37 cars. However, two of the three car elevators have been dysfunctional for months and remain unrepaired. For the past eight months, the temporary operator had been offering free parking for the first three hours. "But with only one working elevator, queues were long, and car owners avoided the facility. As a result, most bylanes around Pondy Bazaar have turned into illegal parking zones," said V Manikandan of West Mambalam. GCC commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said a new contractor will be appointed soon. "We will be floating the RFP shortly," he said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
New Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Madras HC presses ECI on AIADMK symbol decision delay
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its 'hesitation' in deciding on representations seeking freezing of AIADMK's poll symbol 'Two Leaves' and election of Edappadi K Palaniswami as the general secretary of the party. There are multiple civil suits pending in courts regarding the issues. When the petitions filed by EPS seeking a direction to the ECI for speedy disposal of the representations, which were submitted by expelled AIADMK party men including former MPs P Ravindranath, KC Palanisamy and Surya Moorthy, came up for hearing, the ECI's counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan told the HC that the commission would take a decision 'as expeditiously as possible' and time frame need not be set by the court. The bench of Justices R Subramanian and K Surender said it could see 'hesitation' on the part of the ECI and asked its counsel whether he wanted the bench to disclose why there is such a 'hesitation'. Making an oblique reference to the timeline set by the Supreme Court to the President regarding granting of assent to bills passed in State Assemblies in the Tamil Nadu Vs Governor RN Ravi case, the bench said, 'If the President can be set a timeline, why can't the Election Commission?" It also asked, 'Is the Election Commission above the President? The ECI counsel responded, 'Everyone is equal in the Constitution.' The two-judge bench directed the counsel to file written instructions by July 21 on the time period by which it can take a decision on the representations and adjourned the hearing.
New Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Firearms sold cheaply during AIADMK rule: DMK hits back at EPS over ‘gun culture' remark
CHENNAI: Taking a dig at former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, transport and electricity minister SS Sivasankar said it was during the previous AIADMK regime that guns were sold cheaply in the state. He was responding to Palaniswami's criticism that a 'gun culture' was prevailing in Tamil Nadu, referring to the murder of a PMK youth wing functionary in Ranipet. Recalling that the Madras High Court had expressed concerns in August 2020 over guns being supplied to the state from other states, the minister asked, 'Is this the peace, prosperity, and development that prevailed during his regime?' On the murder of PMK functionary S Chakravarthi, Sivasankar said, 'Two people were arrested within three days. Though the case was initially registered as a suspicious death, it was altered to murder after the autopsy report confirmed he was shot with a country-made gun.' He questioned how Palaniswami, who oversaw the police department for four years, could lack basic understanding of the investigation procedures. Reacting to Palaniswami's statement, Minister for Municipal Administration KN Nehru said EPS might lose his position as Leader of Opposition and the AIADMK general secretary by May next year, if confusion over coalition persists within his party ahead of the 2026 Assembly election. Taking a dig at the BJP's influence over the AIADMK, Nehru, in a post on X, said, 'Kamalalayam (TN BJP headquarters) keeps Palaniswami on edge daily, talking about forming a coalition, a BJP-led government, or an NDA government. Meanwhile, Palaniswami's slaves are hailing him as the next CM. There is no way to rescue him from the illusionary world he is living in.'
