Tiruchi Intra-City Development Endeavours inaugurated by MP

Tiruchi Intra-City Development Endeavours (TIDES), an organisation envisaged as a forum and think-tank for development of the city, has planned a meeting with heads of local businesses as an initial step towards its goals of maximising the city’s potential for investment, business and tourism.

Repository on urban development

Envisaged as a forum for members to compare notes on responsibilities and experiences in planning and development of the city, TIDES was inaugurated at a meeting presided over by P. Kumar, Member of Parliament.

The organisation which hopes to function as a repository of information on urban development is compiling various documentaries with statistics projecting business and tourism potential of the city, said A.R.Yogandran, member, executive committee, TIDES. These documentaries would be screened during the meeting.

The data would be disseminated through seminars, conferences, and publications by TIDES. The forum would also act as facilitator between organisations, institutions keen on city development.

TIDES has put forward 13 chief appeals to the Mr. Kumar at the meeting. Among the appeals presented by TIDES is the inclusion under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, that funds various urban development projects, said Kanagarajan, Secretary, TIDES. Improving recreation facilities in the city and projecting the city as a tourism destination are focus areas of the forum.

The lion’s share of representation by TIDES has been towards developing connectivity to the city.

Holding air traffic as crucial to promoting the city as tourist destination, TIDES has appealed for speeding up expansion of runway, resuming curtailed services by Air India Express, and introduction of more domestic services, particularly to Mumbai and Delhi.

Other demands include environment friendly traffic signals and proper bus terminuses at K.K.Nagar, Srirangam and Thuvakudi. Other appeals are oft-reiterated demands by various city forums, like establishment of an integrated bus stand and shifting Gandhi Market. On the educational front appeals are for making Tiruchi as centre for JEE, CAT entrance exam and counselling for Anna University, said Prem Kumar, President of TIDES.

G. Ravichandran, president, Tiruchi Travel Federation, M Ponnilango, vice president, Maluk Mohamed, principal, MAM College of Engineering and Parthasarathy, director, Baby Engineering, were present.

• TIDES is compiling documentaries with statistics projecting business and tourism potential of city
• Improving recreational facilities in the city, a major focus of the forum
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