Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay inaugurated the Rs 300-crore Periyar Arivulagam and Science Centre in Coimbatore. Stalin's claim of credit highlighted the DMK government's role in conceiving and developing the project.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay inaugurated the Periyar Arivulagam and Science Centre, a Rs 300-crore knowledge and research facility in Coimbatore. (@CMOTamilnadu/X via PTI photo)
Coimbatore,Oct 16, 2026 14:44 IST
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday inaugurated the Periyar Arivulagam and Science Centre, a Rs 300-crore knowledge and research facility in Coimbatore, news agency PTI reported.
Named after social reformer EV Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, the eight-storey centre is spread across seven acres and has facilities for education, scientific learning and research.
The project was conceived and initiated by the previous DMK government. Its cost included Rs 245 crore for construction and Rs 50 crore for books, besides e-books.
Hours before the inauguration, DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin posted a video on social media, saying the project was the brainchild of his "Dravidian model government".
"What does it matter who opens it? Does the pride lie in inaugurating it? The true pride is in planning and creating something unique. That pride belongs to the DMK forever," Stalin said.
Stalin laid the foundation stone for the project on November 6, 2024. The Public Works Department carried out the initial construction and development work under the DMK administration before the change in government. The project, designed, funded and started by the DMK government, was completed and opened to the public by Vijay.
Vijay arrived from Chennai on a special flight and held a roadshow before the inauguration. He travelled about 11.4 km from Coimbatore International Airport to the venue on Dr Nanjappa Road in Gandhipuram.
Large crowds of TVK workers and residents lined Avinashi Road to welcome him. Heavy barricades were set up across Peelamedu, Avinashi Road and Gandhipuram, while a ban on flying drones was enforced along the route.
Vijay received a warm welcome after arriving at the campus. He unveiled a large statue of Periyar and inaugurated the Periyar Arivulagam and Science Centre.
The Chief Minister toured the science centre, digital library and planetarium. He also interacted with students from local corporation schools on the second floor of the facility, according to Press Trust of India.
The centre has more than 1.25 lakh physical books, a digital library, a children's library, reading sections and interactive science facilities. It also has modern computer systems, an extensive e-book network, digital archives and interactive learning material designed for children.
Special study halls and material are available for students preparing for competitive examinations, including the TNPSC and UPSC examinations. Arivulagam means "world of knowledge".
The facility also houses a modern auditorium designed to host academic seminars, intellectual debates and cultural events.
More than 3,500 police personnel were deployed across Coimbatore for Vijay's first visit to the city after becoming chief minister in May, police sources told PTI. Barricades were erected along Avinashi Road, the airport route, Peelamedu and Red Fields, with traffic diversions expected through the morning.
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