The last few weeks have seen a renewed debate on whether the State needs a new capital. This is of course one of those topics that are periodically dusted, discussed and then put back on the shelf. But nevertheless, it is a matter that merits attention, especially in the present circumstances. It must however be pointed out here that after having been aired, all talk on this has died out for now, but we never know as to what can take focus, especially with Assembly elections due next year.
The ongoing Covid crisis has shown that congestion is one of the chief causes for the spread of the disease. And there can be no denying that Chennai is a densely packed city. Concentrating further development in the same area therefore makes no sense and if there is to be progress of the same kind in other parts of the State, a new capital may be the best way to go about it. As was recently said by M.G. Devasahayam, a retired IAS officer, the State needs a counter magnet to Chennai.
The topic as we said is not new. The late MG Ramachandran first raised it in 1980 and indicated that his preference was for locating the new capital between Trichy and a Thanjavur, though he opined that Madurai could also be an alternative. The DMK trashed the idea which was rather surprising given that it’s then leader M. Karunanidhi was from Thirukuvalai, not far from Thanjavur. Earlier in this millennium, the late J Jayalalithaa brought up the subject once again and said the new capital would be near Mamallapuram. This was not a great plan given that it would merely extend Chennai and add to the woes of congestion. Happily, that idea was not proceeded with. Now it appears Madurai and Trichy are once again the contenders.
In terms of political sentiment, both towns are good choices, they have been important centres in Tamil history. They are also relatively centrally located within the State unlike Chennai which is in the northernmost tip. It must be recalled here that Chennai or Madras as it was then made perfect sense as a capital in colonial times, located as it was centrally in a Presidency that extended all the way to Odisha. Developments since the 1930s have made Chennai a very distant capital for much of Tamil Nadu.
There are however several crucial factors that need to be taken into account if the shift is being considered seriously. Firstly, the Trichy Thanjavur belt is an agricultural heartland and the taking over of farms for the construction of a capital needs to be avoided. We have seen that this can be a political hot potato especially if regimes change while the work is in progress. The examples of Singur in Bengal and Amaravati in Andhra are fresh in our minds. The managing of the environmental impact is the second major aspect – what will happen to these places when a huge population suddenly descends on them? Will we be transferring the same water crisis that Chennai faces to the new capital? Thirdly, can we consider the new centre to be an administrative capital alone and not encourage industries also to move? In the USA, most States have clearly separated the commercial capital from the administrative and this has ensured very good management. One of the chief reasons as to why Delhi degenerated in the last few decades has been the way it has industrialised. There was no reason for that city to be burdened with this and results are there for all to see.
If the above aspects are taken into consideration before a decision is made, we see no reason why a shift of capital should not be encouraged.
Yes Sir. Actually, it is good to have 4 capitals, namely, Madurai for the 11 southern districts, Trichy for the Easter districts, ( Trichy-to manapparai and Trich to Puthukkottai lines and roads are not having much agricultural lands. So no question of environmental degeneration due to urbanization), Coimbatore is the ntural choe for Western districts and Villupuram for Northern districts excluding Chennai. This corresponds to ancient Pandyan, Chola, Kongu and Pallava areas. Will make Chennai less congested It is a first step towards Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam’s dream of PURA ( providing urban facilities in rural areas.)
On 10/9/20, Madras Heritage and Carnatic Music
Very recently, some ruling party MLA’s had mooted the idea of making Madurai the second capital. It is supported by a very large percentage of people in Southern Districts. Madurai is a city of hoary past, mentioned by Megastahnes and Artha Sastra of Chandragupta Mauryan era around 300 BC. Even earlier, the Magadha empire knew about Pandyan kingdom of Madurai. The recent and on-going archeological excavations in Keezhadi just east of Madurai in Vaigai bank confirm its antiquity. The eleven districts of South Tamilnad , namely, Dhindukkal, Puthukkotttai, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Thenkasi, Nellai, Tuticorin and Nagerkoil are very close to Madurai and very well connected by roads, railways .Madurai already has an international airport. Excepy the vaigai river areas, there is no existing agricultural areas especially just south of Madurai in plces like aruppukkottai and sathur and kovilpatti. The southern districts need special care to develop medium and large industries. By and large, the southern districts are mostly rural but without sufficient irrigation. If Mdurai is made the second capital of Tmilnad, the exodus from the southern districts to Chennai for employment will almost become zero.
On 10/9/20, Madras Heritage and Carnatic Music
Moving Capital city is fraught with all kinds of challenges – cost, land acquisition that too of valuable agricultural property, acceptance among people etc. It is difficult enough to move a bus station or vegetable market and imagine this compounded. Further, in a state such TN, hetherto, a change in Govt would have resulted in change of capital too but maybe, the present so called “leaders” are less prone to making such radical, politics-laden moves but are also less dynamic.
The challenge is that we should encourage other development – industrial, IT, services and commerical activity outside the state capital and not let everything concentrate around Chennai. Further, Chennai also has ports attached to it – seaport and airport, that makes it more attractive. To mitigate this and ensure balanced development through out the state, connectivity, particularly of ports and airports outside Chennai, will be required on a scale far beyond today. No meaningful railway development has been done in many decades and TN has fallen behind states such as Kerala (new lines, new trains, doubling of lines, railway electrification – outside Chennai region). On its own, regions beyond Chennai are developing thanks to the cost of labour and real estate being cheaper along with total cost of operations, but to attract real talent in higher value added work, we need total development – education, health care, physical (roads, rail, ports) and virtual (reliable high speed internet and phone) connectivity.
Overall, Karnataka and Bangalore have a bigger concentration at the capital than TN and Chennai. However, that does not mean TN can stop and not let urban pockets such as Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Trichy, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin develop. A good thing Covid has taught us is that location matters lesser in today’s world if we have virtual connectivity backed by logisitical support for real connectivity.