Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday announced that two new districts – Tenaksi and Chengalpattu – will be created by bifurcating Tirunelveli and Kancheepuram districts, The Indian Express reported. The state will have 35 districts after these two districts are carved out.
Palaniswami, while speaking in the Assembly, said separate officers would be appointed to govern the districts. The chief minister said ministers, legislators and public had sent representations to bifurcate big districts like Tirunelveli and Kancheepuram, The News Minute reported. He said the bifurcation was made for administrative convenience.
Tenkasi MLA C Selva Mohandas Pandian thanked Palaniswami and other ministers for approving his request for a separate district. “This is the happiest day in my life,” Pandian told The Indian Express. “In my election manifesto itself, I promised that a separate district will be formed with Tenkasi as headquarters. The residents of Tenkasi are very much pleased as their long-standing demand has been approved finally.”
Sivagiri, Ambasamudram, Kadayanallur, and Sengottai regions are likely to fall under Tenkasi district.
According to 2011 census, Tenkasi had a population of 70,545 and Chengalpattu had 62,579. Chengalpattu is located about 55 km away from state capital Chennai.
In January, the state government bifurcated Villupuram district to form Kallakurichi district.
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