Chennai:Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami alleged that efforts were on to conduct the formula race in Chennai, as indicated by the letters from the State department of Youth Affairs and Sports Development to companies and business houses seeking sponsorship and advertisement, despite the assurance given to the Madras High Court that the event would not be held.
In a message on X, Palaniswami said that though an affidavit was filed in the court that the formula car racing event would not be held in Chennai for two years, the government was now misusing its powers to force business houses to support the car racing event through sponsorship or advertisements, rising the ire of industrial bodies.
He said that while the power tariff, which had been raised three times after the DMK came to power in the State, had left MSMEs, cotton mills, spinning mills and such industries in doldrums, the government was putting pressure on companies to support the car race.
When a street circuit, the first ever night street race, was planned to be held in Chennai by the Racing Promotions Private Limited in league with the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), a petition was filed in the court against its conduct when the affidavit, assuring that the event will not be held for two years, is reported to have been filed.
Though the dates were fixed then (in December, 2023), the race was cancelled since Cyclone Michaung bashed the area in which the 3.5 km circuit was located around the Island Grounds. The races will start from Island Ground, run through Flag Staff Road, War Memorial, Pallavan Salai junction, Sivananda Road and Napier Bridge and end at Island Ground.
Now it looks that the event might be held soon, going by the allegation of Palaniswami though no publicity has been given to it officially. Conducting the event will entail the stopping of all road traffic as the formula race cars will run at extremely high speeds on the common roads.
The plan for the formula race also created a controversy when a YouTuber, now in jail, alleged that a Tamil actress having a home in Dubai was associated with the racing circuit companies and was behind the event coming to Chennai.
