Business Standard 31.12.2009
| Chennai gets bigger |
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday ordered merger of several local bodies with the Chennai Corporation, expanding its area from the present 174 sqkm to 426 sqkm.
The move to expand Chennai and create a larger urban agglomeration is aimed at providing better infrastructure and amenities for the suburbs. The Chennai Corporation is the oldest civic body in the country.
The municipalities, which are to be merged with the corporation, include Ambattur, Alandur, Maduravoyal, Manali and Tiruvottiyur. Eight town panchayats, including Puzhal, Porur, Meenambakkam, Perungudi and Sholinganallur, and 25 village panchayats in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts will thus be brought under the present Chennai Corporation limits, raising the city’s population to 5.6 million from the present 4.3 million, according to the state government.
While a village panchayat — Idayanchavadi in Minjur limit -- would be the city corporation’s entry point from the northern side, Uthandi village panchayat on East Coast Road would be its boundary on the southern side.
The GO said the elected representatives of the local bodies would continue in their posts until 2011 when the next elections would be held. The decision on formation of two new corporations — Chennai-Avadi and Chennai-Tambaram — would be taken later.
The Chennai Corporation commissioner has been given the power to delineate the wards, zones and reclassify existing wards. If need be, he can designate an officer on special duty. A report pertaining to the delineation and reclassification must be submitted to the government within six months.
The GO added that this expansion of the city limit is to arrive at comprehensive planning for the development of infrastructure and to optimise all resources, including financial, which differs in each local body.
