Coimbatore Smart City CEO Suganya resigns

The Chief Executive Officer of the Coimbatore Smart City Limited (CSCL), R. Suganya, tendered her resignation on Monday.

The CSCL is the company (special purpose vehicle) that implements the Central Government’s Smart City projects in the city.

Sources familiar with the development said the 28-year-old daughter of former AIADMK MLA K.P. Raju had stated in Tamil that she wished to resign for personal reasons and also because her appointment had generated controversy. She submitted the resignation letter to the to the Managing Director and Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner K. Vijayakarthikeyan at the civic body’s main office in Town Hall.

The CSCL had appointed her in the first week of August and Ms. Suganya assumed office on August 11.

Her appointment had generated controversy as the city’s residents and activists viewed it as a gross violation of rules and perceived her to be inexperienced enough to head the CSCL that would implement projects worth crores of rupees.

At the time of appointment, Ms. Suganya had only around three years of experience in two private companies with almost nil exposure to urban governance.

Political parties staged protests and a few also met the CSCL officials in person to register their protest. Online campaigns through various social media platforms also went viral.

Defending her appointment, the Corporation issued a release clarifying that Ms. Suganya was the best among the candidates it could identify and not many candidates responded to the advertisements.