Chennai, 17 Oct 2026: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay inaugurated the newly constructed Periyar Arivulagam, a seven storey library and science centre spread over 1.98 lakh sq ft in Gandhipuram today. The facility, equipped with one lakh books, a planetarium, digital library and research spaces, is expected to become a major educa tional and scientific learning hub in western Tamil Nadu.
The complex has been constructed by the Public Works Department on seven acres of Prison Department land on Nanjappa Road, opposite the Gandhipuram Central Bus Stand. Construc tion began in Novem ber 2024 and has now been completed.
The building, divided into Blocks A and B, houses a specialised library for persons with disabil ities, a 350-seat audito rium, a science centre with interactive exhibits, a planetarium and a space lift facility designed to provide visitors with an immer sive experience of space exploration.
Other facilities include separate sections for Tamil, English and history books, a children’s library, digital reading facilities, research study areas and an incubation centre for start-ups. The complex is designed to promote reading habits, scienti fic awareness and technological learning among students and the public.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to arrive at Coimbatore airport by a special flight around 11 am and proceed by road to Gandhipuram to inaugurate the facility. He will sub sequently attend a Govern ment function at 12.30 p.m., where he will inaugurate com pleted development projects, lay founda tion stones for new works and distri bute welfare assistance to beneficiaries.
After completing the programmes, Vijay is scheduled to leave for Thrissur in Kerala by helicopter from the Coimbatore Armed Reserve grounds around 1.40 p.m.
Police have stepped up security arrange ments for the visit, deploying around 3,500 personnel across the city. Barricades have been erected along key routes, including the airport, Peelamedu and Red Fields areas.
Meanwhile, DMK President and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin criticised the Government over the inauguration, saying the credit lay in planning and develop ing the project rather than merely opening it. He also accused the Government of conceal ing the ‘Naan Mudhal van’ name inscribed at the facility.