CHENNAI: The residents of Pallavaram, which has been plagued by civic issues and environmental violations, want their municipality to be converted into an independent corporation. The residents have urged political parties to include this in their manifestos as the demand has for long been on the back burner, despite the municipality hardly being 50 metres away from Chennai Corporation limits.
In 2011, when the Chennai Corporation limits were extended, there was a proposal that the Pallavaram municipality, with 42 wards, would be made an additional zone of the Corporation. This proposal did not fructify and subsequently, another proposal in 2017, to make Pallavaram an independent corporation, also did not see the light even as Avadi turned an independent corporation.
In 2019, when Pallavaram became a part of the newly-created Chengalpet district, there were talks that the municipality would be part of a bigger corporation under Tambaram, but that too has remained on paper.
With a population of over 3 lakhs (2011 census) and with many developmental projects underway, Pallavaram is highly eligible to become a corporation.
So, what are the benefits of turning a corporation? “It will improve grievance redressal. Presently, there is no connect between the municipality and the people whereas a corporation has many mechanisms such as apps and helplines for grievance redressal,” says resident and activist David Manohar. He said that keeping this a municipality gives politicians more leverage to interfere in its daily affairs.
“Encroachments, building violations and pollution of lakes are rampant here. In a corporation such as Chennai, it does not happen at the same level,” he said. A corporation can also get foreign funding for projects, while residents say that corporations provide better roads, water supply and garbage collection.
‘Can still merge with Chennai Corporation’
While this may appear far-fetched now, as the municipality is now part of Chengalpet district, residents still hope that a new GO could be passed to add Pallavaram to the Chennai city limits. “When the Chennai Police limits cover Pallavaram, why can’t the corporation? Even localities in ECR and Sholinganallur have been bought under the Chennai Corporation,” said Manohar.
Activist V Santhanam, who recently held several protests to add the municipality to Chennai Corporation, said people here have been deprived of all the benefits enjoyed by Chennai residents. “This locality must come under an IAS officer and that will bring better quality services and infrastructure.
Roads and platforms will be better, and Pallavaram too would benefit from Smart City projects.” Santhanam said that despite being a municipality, the local body still dumps garbage in Perungudi, a Chennai Corporation zone.