Lag in industrial infra under voter scan

Trichy: Assume you order your favourite meal with an online food delivery platform, the delivery partner promises timely delivery, but the order never arrives and is delayed indefinitely. This sums up the scenario of Trichy's industrial infrastructure. Dubbed ‘Energy Equipment and Fabrication Capital of India' for its six-decade association with production of power plant components, Trichy is awaiting new-age anchor industries to revive and steer industrial growth. In the upcoming assembly election, fancy proposals are unlikely to sway the votes of the industrial sector, unless parties show the intent and political will to deliver on pending proposals, say observers.Century-old industries, no transitionTrichy, a gateway of Cauvery delta, has a rich history of industrial prowess, thanks to the past century's Golden Rock railway workshop (1928), Bhel Trichy (1964), and Ordnance factory Trichy (1966). But in the modern era, no transition has happened yet so as to steer local employment opportunities with competitive salaries through industries like semiconductors, EVs, and software development. Trichy East, Trichy West, Thiruverumbur, Srirangam, and Manachanallur are constituencies that are directly impacted by industrial investments. "For a long time, Trichy has been dependent on traditional industries like Bhel. This should change, a part of the investments in electronics and semiconductor sectors should be diverted by the govt to Trichy. Only then, migration of youths for jobs will reduce," Ramprakash G B, president of Valavanthankottai Industrial Manufacturer Association & Network (Vimaan) said. On paper, not in realityAmong the proposals and promises made but not implemented or not much progress seen are Trichy trade centre, defence corridor, agro-industrial corridor, and anchor industries in Sipcot industrial parks. "Manapparai Sipcot has not received the huge investment promised. MoUs were signed with leading global companies like Jabil and Jindal to invest more than Rs3,000 crores in Trichy, but nothing materialised. In this election, we want candidates and the govt to deliver, not to make another promise," VB Jaganath, member, Trichy Intra-City Development Endeavours (TIDES), said. In the last five years, many investments have indeed been made on roads to boost employment opportunities, such as Tidel Park Trichy coming up at Panjapur, and food park inside Manapparai Sipcot, a proposal for a food quality testing lab to increase exports. However, many are yet to fully materialise. Political observers point out that DMK is likely to flaunt Elcot Phase II IT Park and Tidel Park in Panjapur as achievements, but the delay in building Trichy trade centre in Panjapur for over five years could blunt that claim. Industrially backward constituenciesWhile constituencies like Thiruverumbur, Trichy East, Trichy West, Srirangam, and Manachanallur are at least reaping some benefits through existing industries, Thuraiyur, Musiri, Lalgudi, and Manapparai are constituencies that are industrially backward. Areas like Marungapuri, Uppiliyapuram, and Thottiyam are in desperate need of industries such as agro-based companies, to generate local employment. "There is a momentum in the industrial ecosystem in Trichy, but to leverage it, we expect a major IT company to open an office in Trichy. There is also a need to accelerate industrial growth in areas like Thuraiyur. Dry port is also a crucial project that ought to be implemented to boost exports," V Sivaramakrishnan, chairman, CII Trichy said.