Chennai: Tambaram inches towards becoming new corporation

CHENNAI: Tambaram has begun to take baby steps towards being a full-fledged corporation in the southern suburbs.
The government has begun changing the name of municipality offices and town panchayat offices, and those at wards and zones. After issuing orders that all communication and financial documents are to be addressed to Tambaram corporation, authorities have changed name boards at offices as a prelude to defining zones and wards in the areas that have been merged to form a new corporation.
The name board of Chitlapakkam town panchayat hasd been changed to Chitlapakkam office of Tambaram corporation. Similarly, the name board of Pallavaram municipality building has been changed to Tambaram corporation.
An official said that the ground work to form the corporation has begun. "It will be done in phases. The next step will be to define wards and zones. We have all the data on population and other details of the local bodies. This will be used to create zones and wards. The thinking is to form five or six zones. This will be decided later."
He also said that the division of wards and zones will be done to ensure that even development can be offered to the residents. Revenue generation will also be considered. The exercise will also ensure that revenue generation also can be more or less even."
In all probability, larger municipalities may be divided into one or two zones while small town panchayats may become zones or wards. Once the zones are formed, the government will post officers to head them. A commissioner too needs to be posted for the new corporation.
The government had already issued an order to change all paperwork and cheques and other documents in the name of Tambaram corporation. "These are administrative changes. The staff and officials continue to work and residents can approach the same offices for complaints and to avail services," said an official.
Residents have also begun organising themselves to put pressure on the new corporation to improve civic amenities. Around 80 residents associations from different neighbourhoods have come together to form a federation which will be launched on Sunday.