The setting up of a taluk office in Madhavaram has made things easier for thousands of residents in terms of accessing government services and seeking documents such as patta or birth and death certificates.
The Madhavaram taluk was formed recently following the bifurcation of the large Ambattur taluk, which consisted of five fircas. The new taluk consists of two fircas (Madhavaram and Red Hills) and 36 revenue villages. While places such as Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Kathivakkam and Chinna Sekkadu would come under Madhavaram revenue sub-division, the Red Hills firca would include localities such as Puzhal, Grandline, Palavoyal and Manjambakkam.
The Ambattur taluk now has three revenue sub-divisions — Ambattur, Morai and Maduravoyal. Officials in the Ambattur taluk said that the bifurcation has eased the burden of the staff members too as they were previously catering for a population of nearly 23 lakh. Residents of far-away areas such as Tiruvottiyur and Manali now stand to save on travel time as earlier they had to commute to Ambattur, a distance of over 15 km, to obtain the certificates or land document.
Following the bifurcation, at least one-third of the population, particularly from the thickly populated Tiruvottiyur, has been attached to the Madhavaram taluk office. A marriage hall on Madhavaram High Road has been converted into a temporary office for the new taluk. Many of the residents, however, are not yet aware of where the office is located. Madhavaram tahsildar T. Mallika said the area of the new taluk is over 63 sq. km. and it caters for a population of 7.45 lakh. It is the ninth taluk in Tiruvallur district. The office has received about 500 applications for various needs since its inauguration on December 23.
Nineteen personnel from the Ambattur taluk office have been posted to the new taluk office. Nine new posts have also been created and this is to not only help in better maintenance of law and order and administrative functions, but also facilitate in speeding up issue of various certificates and land documents, she said.
On the new taluk office moving into the premises of its own, officials said the process of identifying government land to construct the building had been initiated.
