CHENNAI: The Avadi special grade municipality in Tiruvallur district has been upgraded as a municipal corporation, 15th one in the State. An ordinance was issued on March 9, but it was notified only on June 17 perhaps because of the model code in force for the Lok Sabha elections notified on March 10.
The 14 other municipal corporations are: Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Dindigul, Salem, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Tirunelveli, Tirupur, Thoothukudi, Vellore, Nagercoil and Hosur. Though Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced on October 23, 2017, that Sivakasi would be upgraded as municipal corporation, it is yet to become a reality.
“Considering the increase in population, growth in annual income and the level of the civic services to be provided towards fulfilment of the basic needs of the growing population of Avadi special grade municipality and for improving the standard of living of the people, the government has decided to upgrade the Avadi municipality into a municipal corporation,” the ordinance said.
The ordinance also said the present Special Officer of the Avadi municipality would continue in the same post for the corporation as well till a new official is appointed. This new corporation will have a Mayor, a council, a standing committee, awards committee and a Commissioner.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, Ma Foi K Pandiarajan, who is representing the Avadi Assembly constituency, told reporters that converting the Avadi municipality into a municipal corporation was one of the electoral promises made during the 2016 Assembly elections. He also thanked Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani on this count.
“This new corporation has 5.2 lakh population and 48 wards. Avadi has all reasons to be made a municipal corporation - industrial growth with many key industries, many important spiritual places including Hridayaleeswarar temple, Pachaiyamman temple and Tiruverkadu Karumariamman Koil. For now, the government has only upgraded the Avadi municipality as corporation. The merger of areas adjacent to Avadi may take place in the future,” the minister said.
Pandiarajan said the State government had fulfilled all three electoral promises made by the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa: Setting up of a TIDEL park in the Southern Structural Limited (Rs 300 crore), the bio-park works at Paruthippattu (Rs 32 crore) to be declared open by the CM on Wednesday and making Avadi a municipal corporation. The bio-park has a unique model in the entire country and would become an important tourist spot.