Stalin questions fate of Centre's funds for Chennai Smart City project

Stalin charged the AIADMK government with corruption in executing the storm water drain and other projects

Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday said that he would order an inquiry into the “botched implementation” of the Smart City project by the previous AIADMK government in this metropolis and promised action against contractors who were responsible for its execution.

Stalin also accused the then Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani of just “collecting commission” instead of implementing projects like the stormwater drain in corporations and municipalities in the state. The Chief Minister made the allegations while touring the worst-affected areas in Chennai for the third straight day on Tuesday.

Admitting that water has been drained out only in a few places, the Chief Minister said that efforts were on to pump the floodwater at the earliest. Speaking to reporters, Stalin sought to know what happened to the funds received from the Union Government under the Smart City project.

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“They got several crores of rupees from the Union Government for implementing the Smart City project. We don’t know what has happened to those funds? We will constitute a commission to probe and find out what happened to the money. Action will be taken against contractors who were responsible,” Stalin said.

He alleged that under Velumani, the Municipal Administration Department did nothing to mitigate floods. “Still we are managing the situation,” Stalin said.

Responding to allegations by Stalin, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami sought to turn the tables by seeking to know what the current Chief Minister and Health Minister Ma. Subramanian did when they were Mayor of Chennai for 10 years.

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“If the waterlogging is less in many areas, it is because of the work done during the 10-year AIADMK government. We were the ones who constructed stormwater drains in several areas which have not been affected now,” Palaniswami said.

The Chief Minister’s comments came as activists alleged “huge corruption” under the AIADMK government in the Smart City project. T. Nagar, where the Smart City project including stormwater drain was implemented, still has knee-deep water, the activists said, seeking to know what happened to the funds.

“Velumani who was the Local Administration Minister is responsible for Chennai floods. The huge corruption in the department is the reason for such a mess,” Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO.

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