Tamil Nadu Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna has alleged that the previous DMK government issued tenders worth Rs. 2,000 crore for road patch-up work and announced that his department would publish a white paper on the contracts. The announcement was made on Tuesday at Mamallapuram during the inauguration of a coaching camp for Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam legislators.
Arjuna said the proposed document would detail the highway tenders issued during the DMK government. He did not provide a release date for the white paper or identify the individual projects, districts, contractors or tender packages covered by the Rs. 2,000-crore figure in the remarks reported by Deccan Chronicle.
The minister described the work as patch-up activity rather than a broader road improvement programme. The allegation places the focus on how public works tenders were designed, valued and executed, particularly where expenditure is directed towards repairs rather than reconstruction or long-term road upgrades. The report did not include a response from the DMK government to the allegation.
Arjuna also said the TVK government would publish white papers on alleged corrupt activities in each department. He stated that the administration would not misuse public money and would act against those who had handled it improperly. These remarks were made in the context of his comments on the arrest of former minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi.
The highways minister said there was no political vendetta in the arrest and that action against former ministers was being taken on the basis of evidence. He also referred to corruption cases registered by the DMK government against previous rulers. The report did not provide details of the case involving Poyyamozhi or establish any connection between that case and the highway tender allegations.
A white paper on the highway tenders could potentially set out the department’s account of the tender process, including the stated purpose of the works and the expenditure involved. However, the information available so far does not establish whether the Rs. 2,000 crore represented one tender package, multiple contracts or the total value of road patch-up tenders issued during a defined period.
The announcement comes as the state government positions departmental disclosures as a mechanism for examining past decisions and alleged financial irregularities. For road users, the immediate issue is whether the proposed document will clarify where the patch-up works were carried out, what standards governed them and how the department assessed the use of public funds.
The Highways Department is expected to release the white paper on the subject. No specific publication date or further details of the proposed document were announced in the reported remarks.
