TIRUCHY: The ambitious plan of the city corporation to expand its main office by constructing a new building is caught in red tape due to growing opposition from villagers on the city outskirts.
The proposal, which was first discussed in March 2022 during the current council's inaugural meeting, aimed to address the increase in administrative needs following the proposed extension of the city limits.
In September 2023, the corporation decided to demolish the existing canteen building to make way for the new office structure, which is expected to cost about Rs 40 crore. However, the project is still awaiting approval from the state government.
A senior official pointed out the need for more office space if the city limits were to be expanded from 65 wards to 100 wards.
“The new building will be connected to the existing office, allowing for seamless operations. The proposal has been submitted to the government, and we are hopeful that the approval will come soon,” the official said.
Despite this, there are concerns that opposition to the expansion plan might be delaying the government's approval. Hundreds of villagers from Allithurai and neighbouring areas have staged multiple protests in front of the collectorate against the inclusion of their regions within the expanded city limits.
“The current building meets the needs of the existing 65 wards. Given the strong opposition from border villagers, the government is likely to take a cautious approach before clearing the expansion project,” an official said on the condition of anonymity.
“We believe the delay indicates that the government might reconsider its plans. But if they proceed, we will organise mass protests to protect our community,” said PK Kumar, a senior citizen of Allithurai.