T.N. Assembly Election 2026: Delay in proposed textile park sparks concern among residents of Gudiyatham constituency

The prolonged delay in commencement of work of the proposed textile park in Gudiyatham Assembly constituency, a reserved seat for Scheduled Caste (SC), has irked the electorate, mostly handloom weavers as the proposed project would help revive the handlooms sector in the riverside town. 

Dotted with clusters of handlooms, Gudiyatham is the hub for the traditional weaving community as every other household in the congested town and its surrounding farming villages have had handlooms for many decades. “The handloom sector in the region has become a troubled unit, mainly due to increase in price of raw materials and labour costs and lack of venue for global exports,” said S. Mahalingam, a weaver.