Civic body proposes water theme park, expansion of Srirangam flower market

Proposals on establishing a science park and a water theme park in the city, expansion of the flower market in Srirangam, extension of the underground drainage scheme for uncovered areas of the city, establishment of a new market, and a slaughterhouse at Kattur Pappakurichi are some of the salient features of the corporation Budget for 2013-14.

With salary and pension payments accounting for nearly 70 per cent of its revenue expenditure, the Tiruchi Corporation will be saddled with a whopping deficit of Rs. 18.36 crore. The Budget estimates project the civic body’s total revenue for the next financial year at Rs. 260.38 crore and expenditure at Rs. 278.74 crore. The budget tabled at a special meeting of the Corporation Council chaired by Mayor A. Jaya, here on Monday. However, the Corporation has managed to wipe out a deficit of Rs. 11.42 crore projected in 2012-13 and has managed to record a surplus of Rs. 7.60 lakh during this financial year as per the revised estimates presented along with the Budget. This was made possible through better revenue receipts during the year, said V. Ayyappan, chairman, Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, tabling the budget. Mr. Ayyappan expressed confidence that the deficit in 2013-14 too would be bridged through better tax compliance and the civic body’s initiative to collect tax arrears mired in litigations.

Nevertheless, the corporation continues to depend heavily on State funds to improve civic amenities in the city continues and expects an allocation of Rs. 39.69 crore under the Integrated Urban Development Mission (IUDM) during the year for laying new blacktop roads, cement roads, and construction of drains. Significant among the Budget proposals will be the move to construct new buildings for the corporation maternity centres at Woraiyur and West Boulevard Road in the city. The maternity centres are to be converted into 24-hour hospitals with modern amenities and equipment. An initial allotment of Rs. 50 lakh had been made for the proposal.

A new market will be established at Kattur Pappakurichi to cater to the needs of residents in a five new wards created following the merger of Tiruverumbur Town Panchayat and four other panchayats with the corporation. The market will be built at the site where platform shops are currently operating. However, no financial allocation has been specified. A proposal will be forwarded to the government soon for the establishment of a modern slaughterhouse for goats at Kattur Pappakurichi.

The Corporation has proposed to install closed circuit television cameras at its main and zonal offices, tax collection service centres and also at its garbage dumping yard at Ariyamangalam. The move comes in the wake of a break-in reported at the office of one of the Corporation Executive Engineers a few months ago. The installation of the CCTV cameras at the garbage dump is apparently was intended to monitor and check fire accidents.

The civic body has revived proposals on establishing a water theme park and a science park in the city, both mooted nearly a decade ago. The water theme park is planned on a 15-acre site at Panchapur. However, the civic body will seek expert opinion before firming up the proposal. The science park is to come up at the corporation grounds at Anna Nagar, where a similar project was abandoned midway through some years ago. The corporation has now made an allocation of Rs. 3 crore for the project. A proposal on extending the underground sewer system to uncovered areas in the city, at an investment of Rs. 129.21 crore has been forwarded to the government.

The project is proposed to be taken up under the IUDM and will depend on the sanction of the government.

The corporation has proposed to expand the flower market at Srirangam by constructing additional shops after demolishing a few dilapidated shops at the old bus stand in the town. A new gasifier-based crematorium will be established at Manalvarithurai at a cost of Rs. 75 lakh with government assistance.

The council would take up the Budget for discussion on Thursday.