TN BJP moves Madras HC against Chennai Formula 4 car racing event; cites road blockade, inconvenience as reasons

The Minister also charged that illegal road works are also being carried out, inconveniencing daily commuters and patients visiting Chennai General Hospital and Chennai Multispecialty Hospital

Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP state spokesperson A. N. S. Prasad has moved the Madras High Court against the Formula 4 car racing event scheduled for August 31 and September 1 in Chennai.

The petitioner wanted the case to be heard urgently on Tuesday but the case will be heard on August 28. The BJP leader in his petition stated that Formula 4 car racing would lead to a road blockade, causing inconvenience to the general public.

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He also charged that illegal road works are also being carried out, inconveniencing daily commuters and patients visiting Chennai General Hospital and Chennai Multispecialty Hospital.

The petitioner said that he seeks to halt the car racing event, citing the “illegal nature” of the event and its impact on the public. Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin had said that the Formula 4-night street race would not cause any hindrances to commuters.

Udhayanidhi, while speaking to media persons a few days before, said that arrangements had been made for 8,000 people to watch the race. The minister said that people can watch the session on Saturday morning which is for free.

The DMK government has spent around Rs 30 crore for the event. Eight teams will participate in the event and the track will have 19 turns, multiple chicanes, and tricky elevations.

Opposing the state government’s plans to host the event, the AIADMK blamed the ruling DMK government for “misgovernance”. AIADMK general secretary and the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) said public funds should benefit people and not be used for entertainment under the guise of a sporting event. EPS in a statement said,

“There are so many problems that people are facing today, and in such a scenario this DMK government is conducting a car race.” He said, “The race would cut through the heart of the city for 3.5 km around Island Grounds near the Marina beach.”

The opposition leader charged that the circuit was near hospitals and would affect transport immensely in the city. However, the state government argued that they have an agreement with the private organisers of the event to share the revenue generated similar to the process followed in the Indian Premier League (IPL).