Chennai Mayor: Talks are going on to extend the city limits

Chennai: The state government plans to increase the number of wards in the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits and discussions are underway to expand areas from Tambaram, city mayor R Priya said in a statement. She further informed that only the initial stage of discussions is underway but the paperwork is yet to be prepared. “There are plans to expand the municipal limits and verbal discussions are underway for the same. As of now, the discussions are focused on areas from Tambaram to be included in the Chennai Corporation limits. The number of wards is expected to increase in future. However, there may be changes in further meetings,” the mayor told DT Next. The expansion process began in 2011 with the city including 9 municipalities, including Madhavaram, Ambattur, Kathivakkam, Tiruvottriyur and Alandur, 8 town panchayats and 25 village panchayats. Thus, the area increased by 140 per cent from 176 sq km to 426 sq km. Meanwhile, four wards in the city do not yet have elected members as councillors – Congress councillor Nanjil Eswara Prasad of ward 165, and two DMK councillors Sheeba Vasu of ward 122, Shanmugam of Alapakkam of ward 146, and K Saraswathi of ward 58 – who died due to illness last year. “There has been no communication from the Election Commission. So far, the Election Commission has planned to conduct elections in one ward, which is yet to be confirmed. However, we have requested the Commission to conduct elections for all the four wards at the same time. Currently, the zonal chairmen and assistant engineers are in charge of these wards,” the mayor explained. As per the Election Commission norms, if a ward member dies, the election should be held only after six months. But the elections to these four wards have been delayed. The process, including material collection and nominations in the respective wards, will begin after the Election Commission issues the statutory order.