Govt kicks off annual trade fair at Chennai Island Grounds

CHENNAI: Minister for Tourism R Rajendran kicked off the 49th India Tourism and Industrial Trade Fair at the Island Grounds on Monday.

The fair, organised by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), is back after a two-year hiatus. An entertainment complex covering an area of 80,000 square feet has been set up with more than 30 rides. The fair comprises adventure rides, entertainment shows and a variety of stalls to attract the public.

A press release issued by the TTDC says 110 small shops and 30 private halls have been set up as part of the exhibition. The state government had allocated Rs 1.47 crore to set up 44 stalls from many departments, including education, sports, agriculture and horticulture, Adi Dravidar welfare and disabled persons welfare.

As many as 41 state government and public sector institutions halls, including the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, one State Hall, and two union government halls (Chennai Port and Indian Oil Corporation) are part of the fair.

The entry fee for adults is set at Rs 40, and for children (4 to 10 years) and students is Rs 25. The fair will open from 3 pm to 10 pm on weekdays and from 11 am to 10 pm on weekends and government holidays.

For the ease of visitors, online payments are accepted at the venue, and soon, tickets can also be booked on TTDC, PayTm Insider and Bookmyshow websites as well.

The fair will include amenities like drinking water, toilets, and separate restrooms for mothers and the elderly. Special arrangements have been made to operate government buses from major parts of Chennai city to the exhibition site. More than nine lakh people are expected to visit the fair this year.