Coimbatore witnessed extraordinary public momentum on Friday morning as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay arrived in the city to lead a major public roadshow and inaugurate the prestigious 'Periyar Arivulagam' library and science centre in Gandhipuram. Built at an estimated budget of ₹300 crore, the modern academic landmark represents one of the largest civic education investments in the Kongu region.

Crowds gathered across arterial intersections to welcome the Chief Minister’s motorcade following his arrival at Coimbatore International Airport aboard a special flight from Chennai. Waving flags and raising slogans, thousands of party cadres, students, and local residents lined the transit corridor along Avinashi Road, turning the official visit into a sweeping public roadshow.

Intense Security Net and Traffic Diversions

In response to the substantial public turnout, city police officials implemented elaborate security arrangements along the entire motorcade path. Advanced surveillance units, specialized sniffer dog teams, and bomb detection squads swept prime locations ahead of the convoy’s arrival.

Multi-tiered barricading was erected along the main stretches connecting the airport, Hope College, Peelamedu, Lakshmi Mills junction, and the Gandhipuram destination. Traffic authorities diverted heavy commercial vehicles and rerouted suburban bus lines onto secondary ring roads to ensure the smooth movement of public transit and emergency services.

Dedicating the Periyar Arivulagam Complex

The centrepiece of the Chief Minister's visit is the dedication of the seven-storey Periyar Arivulagam complex, erected on seven acres of the historic central prison grounds along Nanjappa Road. Spanning nearly two lakh square feet of built-up space, the campus is engineered as an inclusive knowledge destination for students and competitive exam aspirants across western districts.

• Official Unveiling: Ceremonial ribbon-cutting and unveiling of the commemorative bronze statue of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy in the front plaza.
• State-of-the-Art Science Wing: A digital planetarium, interactive STEM exhibition spaces, space simulation chambers, and technology incubation laboratories.
• Comprehensive Reference Library: Seven floors featuring over 100,000 physical titles, global digital repository access, Braille facilities, and dedicated silent study halls for civil services coaching.
• Civic Sanctions: Distribution of welfare benefit orders and review meetings with district collectors and senior administrative heads for ongoing Kongu infrastructure initiatives.

Schedule and Regional Tour

Following the ribbon-cutting and an interactive walkthrough with regional students inside the complex, Chief Minister Vijay addressed the public gathering at the venue. Emphasizing the administration's focus on progressive education and modern scientific access for rural youth, the address highlighted ongoing efforts to decentralize specialized learning resources beyond state metropolitan centres.

According to the official itinerary, after concluding program engagements in Coimbatore, the Chief Minister’s delegation will travel onward to Kerala to take part in traditional festivities before returning to Chennai.

Viewers can track live speeches, arrival footage, and real-time ground updates via the uninterrupted live stream broadcast below.