All set for CM's birthday bash

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JUNE 2. Panagal Park area in T.Nagar wore a sparkling clean look on Friday, as the Chennai Corporation and other agencies mounted a major renovation effort. The occasion: a public meeting for the Chief Minister's birthday on Saturday.

The streets around the park looked cleaner than ever. The debris and garbage accumulated along the roads in the area disappeared like magic. The uneven pavements were largely untouched, but the kerb was repainted with black and white paint. The potholes and bad roads received emergency repairs.

Amidst the usual din and bustle, the area was buzzing with activity with loudspeakers playing music at full volume.

Mammoth light structures of various patterns, including those bearing serial lights of party leaders, were being put up around the junction. Billboards of the DMK leader were also erected on pavements, though this created problems for pedestrians.

A mandapam with dome-shaped top was being constructed and the entire work would be over by the break of dawn, said a worker.

There was no fear of power tripping, apparently, as scores of halogen lamps were put up focussing at the mandapam. The entire stretch of Theyagaraya Road and the Panagal Park junction was flooded with halogen lamps and hundreds of tube lights. The connections for these were drawn from nearby junction box with electricity meters taped to them. The ghosts of the severe shortage of power supply in the city over the last few days appeared to have been left way behind.

Banners, posters and party flags occupied almost every available inch of space along the road. The jarring note, ironically, was the scores of pumpkins smashed on the road by the shops all around to ward off the evil eye. Only earlier in the day, the Chief Minister, Mr. Karunanidhi, vowed to fight irrational beliefs with renewed vigour.

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Section  : Southern States
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