On the first day of a new system with a Special Officer for the Greater Chennai Corporation, changes were reported in the execution of work relating to infrastructure development, civic issues, town planning and welfare measures.
Corporation officials monitoring civic works in various zones of the city reportedly experienced fewer challenges because of the absence of councillors.
“We often had to change decisions owing to the intervention of councillors. So work would slow down. On Tuesday, works were implemented quickly,” said a Junior Engineer of Chennai Corporation.Starting Tuesday, over 20,000 such employees of the Corporation manning the 200 wards of the 426 sqm km of the city may find they are able to accelerate work due to the non-involvement of councillorsexpected to heave a sigh of relief as they will be able to function without any interference by the councillors.
Influence of councillors
The influence of councillors used to be especially strongly felt in areas such as relaying of roads, digging of roads for infrastructure work, fitting of streetlights, development of stormwater drains, removal of encroachments on roads and footpaths and the locking and sealing of buildings.
On Tuesday, most of the work related to flood mitigation ahead of the onset of the monsoon was implemented as per the directions of IAS officials who have been appointed nodal officers for coping with the monsoon. Work on many drains across roads are being implemented to prevent flooding.
More than 1,000 such projects are under way in various parts of the city.
Some such work, including road relaying, had even been shelved because of alternative decisions taken by councillors in the past few years. Some interior roads were not relaid reportedly because of encroachments. A few officials said they were likely to take action on removal of encroachments along roads and footpaths shortly. More than 4,000 encroachments have been estimated along 471 bus route roads and footpaths. Councillors of the wards have reportedly been encouraging such encroachments.
‘People-friendly decisions’
On the other hand, a few councillors said many of the decisions made by officials failed to accommodate the requirements of residents.
“We talk to people, get their opinion and ask officials to make decisions on civic issues. Local Administration will be people-friendly only with the active participation of councillors,” said P.V. Tamil Selvan, councillor in Ambattur.
An official said they often had to change decisions due to the interventions of councillors
