A high-profile contest on the cards in Coimbatore South

Coimbatore South has become a star constituency this time, which has attracted a lot of attention from high-profile contestants.

In the 2021 election, 2.51 lakh voters from the 19 Coimbatore Corporation wards that make up the constituency were nominated by BJP Women’s Wing chairperson Vanathi Srinivasan, TNCC executive chairman Mayura S. One of the founders of Jayakumar and Makkal Rishi Maam (MNM) Kamal will have to choose. Hassan. Other candidates include Abdul Wahab of Tamlir Katchi and R. of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam. Dorisamy.

As the Election Commission of India created the constituency, after the delimitation exercise of 2007, the constituents of the erstwhile Coimbatore East and West constituencies have twice elected the AIADMK.

Coimbatore South comprises the old part of Coimbatore, the central business district and residential areas on the periphery.

It also houses wholesale market, jewelery manufacturing cluster, bus stand and railway station. Consequently, the need for better infrastructure takes precedence over other demands. Top of the voters’ wish list is the collapse of the market segment. Coimbatore is in urgent need of such development. Without it, the ‘smart city tag’ being offered by the corporation would have little meaning, says AR Bashir Ahmed, who has a shop in the area.

Civil activists say that MLA Amman K. Arjunan missed an opportunity to develop a core business district as the National Smart Cities Mission spoke of rebuilding or redeveloping an old city area to suit modern needs.

There is a need to reduce traffic congestion along with the development of infrastructure. At the top of the voter list is the demand for relocation of lorry parking and repair yard, Loripet to Vellore. The movement of heavy vehicles in commercial areas and the mechanization of snack bars on pedestrian paths have only increased traffic congestion so much that pedestrians, especially the elderly, cannot even walk safely on the road, let alone trying to cross. Are, they complain. s. RG Street resident Jawahar Subramaniam. In fact, encroachment on the pedestrian route has increased over the years, and space on platforms is auctioned at a premium, he says.

The complaints of residents in Gandhipuram, Ramanathapuram and other areas are mostly about poor infrastructure. RM Sethuraman of Gandhipuram states that Drs. The flyover on Nanjappa Road has served the ruling party people more than road users as poor design has cut off the accessibility of the bus stand of Gandhipuram city.

An AIADMK official says that the government and the corporation should have moved the retail vegetable market on Raja Street, TK Market and the flower market in the periphery of the city.

The constituency is a jewelery making center, people want the government to create common facilities for small smiley owners and take them out of the city to reduce pollution. The acid and cyanide used in gold cleaning is released into the sewer lines, as it pollutes the area as is the case with chutneys. They say that the construction of such a common facility will not only give a boost to the jewelery business, but will also help the citizens to remain pollution free. Those involved in jewelery making want the government to form a jewelery workers welfare board as the entry of organized sector has devastated their livelihood.

BJP, Congress and MNM candidates have promised to make Coimbatore a model city. It remains to be seen which of his promises leave an impression with voters.