The Palani Assembly constituency in Dindigul district is home to both Palani and Kodaikanal, which are among the major tourism hotspots in the State.

Palani, the third of the six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan, attracts lakhs of devotees every year, particularly during the Thaipusam festival. Devotees also visit the hill temple in large numbers during the Panguni Uthiram.

Kodaikanal attracts a good number of tourists all through the year and it hits the peak during the summer and other holidays. With substantial revenue being generated from these places the demand for a separate Palani district has now gathered steam.

The DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance has nominated veteran CPI (M) leader N. Pandi to contest the Assembly elections from the Palani Assembly constituency. The AIADMK has nominated K. Ravi Manoharan as its candidate for the Assembly constituency.

Mr. Pandi lost the 2021 Assembly election from Dindigul Assembly constituency to senior AIADMK leader Dindigul C. Srinivasan, while Mr. Manoharan lost the 2021 Assembly elections to the DMK’s I.P. Senthil Kumar from Palani Assembly constituency. This time, Mr. Senthil Kumar is contesting the 2026 Assembly election from the Dindigul Assembly constituency.

The DMK which had won the Palani Assembly constituency in 2016 and 2021, has decided to give it to the alliance party for battle in this prominent Assembly constituency. Also in the fray are B. Murugeswari of the Naam Tamilar Katchi and M. Praveen Kumar of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

The residents of the Palani Assembly constituency being devotees of Lord Murugan, said Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple holds a special place in their hearts and among the core demand was upgradation of the facilities in and around the temple.

The people said they want the authorities to take up desilting works of Vaiyapuri tank on a war footing. They said a park along with other beautification projects had been planned earlier but have not been implemented yet.

Similarly, necessary steps should be taken to clean Shanmuganadhi river as devotees in large numbers take a dip in the river during the festivals. It should be ensured that the waterbodies are kept clean and no waste is dumped along the waterbodies, they said.

S. V. Nageswaran, a trader from Palani, said there was a need for adequate cold storage facilities in the region. The famous Ayakudi guavas grown in the region were being exported. Cold storage facilities would be beneficial for the farmers.

The Palani-Kodaikanal ropecar project was a long pending demand of the people. If implemented it will boost tourism. It will be beneficial for the region as tourists will add both Palani and Kodaikanal to their itinerary. Another demand of the people of Palani was the Palani-Erode railway line. The connectivity will benefit both devotees and traders, he said.

Palani is known as Siddhar Boomi. The works for Government Siddha Research Centre announced during the Global Muthamizh Murugan Conference which was held in Palani in 2024 should be expedited, he said.

T. P. Ravindran of Kodaikanal said hill garlic and other vegetables and fruits are grown in Kodaikanal. Similarly, Kodaikanal is home to a wide variety of flowers. Therefore, there was a need for adequate cold storage facilities in the region for preservation.

There was also a need for implementation of a comprehensive plan to effectively prevent traffic congestion, particularly in forest areas and a proper sanitation and waste disposal mechanism. Necessary steps should also be taken to implement rope car service to connect Vattakanal to Kumbakarai to boost tourism in the region, he said. The Shola forests and native Shola species should be protected and the invasive and exotic species should be removed, he said.

With the number of tourists increasing there was a need for multi-level parking facilities in Kodaikanal as the town was grappling with parking issues, the people said.

Demand for a separate Palani district

There is a demand for a separate Palani district to be carved out of Dindigul district. People said it would benefit both Palani and Dindigul and help in the overall development of both the places.

People from Palani had to travel at least 60-70 km all the way to Dindigul Collectorate to meet the officials for grievance redressal. Instead, Palani should be developed into a headquarters and officials should be posted in Palani. This would benefit the people of Palani and Kodaikanal, they said.