Demand growing for Nellai, Vellore bifurcation on lines of Kallakurichi

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in the recent Assembly session, announced the formation of the 33rd district in the state with Kallakurichi as headquarters. The decision was widely welcomed by the MLAs across the parties as the decision was seen as a step to ease administration.

However, along with the announcement, demands for formation of new districts have resurfaced. Representatives from constituencies present in some of the larger districts such as Tirunelveli and Vellore have demanded the formation of new and smaller districts.

According to the elected representatives, both the districts are large and they need to be split into two for administrative convenience. Also, in the districts there are long pending demands from the people to split the districts.

For instance, Vellore is one of the largest districts in the state extending from Kandili, bordering Krishnagiri district, to Arakkonam, near Tiruvallur. The entire stretch is more than 160 km and travelling from one end to another end will almost take half-a-day. Due to the distance, administration becomes a herculean task for government officials.

Similarly, on the political side, in Vellore district there are 13 MLA constituencies and two MP constituencies. Tirupattur, which is part of Vellore district, comes under Tiruvannamalai constituency, which primarily covers Tiruvannamalai district.

Speaking to DT Next, A Nallathambi, Tirupattur MLA, said that forming a new district with Tirupattur as headquarters is a long pending demand of people in the area as traveling from one end of the district to another consumes too much of time.

He also said that the DMK is in favour of creating a new district with Tirupattur as headquarters. “When I was given the seat for Tirupattur constituency, in 2016, DMK president MK Stalin, informed me that after winning the elections and forming the government we will definitely form Tirupattur district and asked me to prepare a detailed developmental scheme for the district for at least 20 years,” said Nallathambi.

He also said that the recent announcement of formation of Kallakurichi district is a political move. “Kallakurichi MLA Prabhu is very likely to switch to the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and so to appease and retain him, the announcement was made,” said Nallathambi.

Similarly, Kadayanallur MLA Muhammed Abubacker is also demanding a separate district with Tenkasi as headquarters. “For more than 20 years people of Tenkasi, Kadayanallur and its surrounding areas are demanding a new district with Tenkasi as headquarters.”

The two ends of Tirunelveli district, Sivagiri in the north to Koodankulam in the south, have the distance of more than 170 km separating them and it is one of the lengthiest districts in the state. The district needs to be bifurcated with Tenkasi as headquarters because Tenkasi is a Lok Sabha constituency like Tirunelveli, said Abubacker.

An official attached to Revenue Department, on request of anonymity, said that the works to demarcate the boundary of Kallakurichi district is going on in full swing and a Government Order (GO) would be passed soon on the announcement made by the Chief Minister. However, the official refused to speak on the demands of formation of new districts and said that it is up to the state government to take a decision on the demands.