Chennai Corporation plan to expand likely on poll hold

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on Aug 13, 2010:

CHENNAI: The proposed expansion of the Chennai Corporation by annexing 42 adjacent local bodies has hit a roadblock and the transformation seems very unlikely in the immediate future due to political considerations.

With Assembly elections around the corner, the expansion plan has been put on hold for the time being as many ruling party councillors ‘expressed unhappiness’ over losing their landmark wards (seats) to delimitation.

According to sources, more than 40 existing wards, mainly represented by ruling DMK and opposition Congress party councillors, were in the list of either merger or bifurcation during the delimitation procedure based on population ratio.

“If the names of those wards are revealed to complete the expansion process, it will definitely impact the morale of incumbent councillors and it could reflect in the Assembly elections,” said a sitting Corporation councillor, requesting anonymity.

In December last year, the state government had issued a notification to annex 42 local bodies including nine municipalities, eight town panchayats and 25 village panchayats to expand the city limit from the existing 174 sq km to 426 sq km. Six months time was given to a team of officials in the Chennai Corporation to submit its report on expansion.

Under the proposal, Chennai Corporation will be expanded to 426 sq km, from Idayanchavadi village panchayat in the north to Uthandi village panchayat in the south.

In April this year, a team of officials from the Corporation had submitted their preliminary report to the state government and assured a final report by July. Deadline overshot, the state government has given one-month extension to the team.