The Chennai Corporation is all set to have the services of the third Commissioner in a year.
The State government on Thursday transferred D .Karthikeyan and announced that Vikram Kapur would be the new Commissioner. Mr. Kapur, who was the Principal Secretary, Industries Department, is expected to take charge on Friday.
Mr. Kapur had served as Deputy Commissioner (Education) of Chennai Corporation in 1993. He had also served as Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority during the previous DMK regime. His experience in handling local administration in the city two decades ago and urban planning a few years ago is likely to be a key to solving the complex civic challenges in the 426 sq km of the city controlled by Ripon Buildings.
After expansion of the city last year, the civic body has been trying to cope with the challenges in urban development in the extended areas.
Dr. Karthikeyan, who was the Corporation Commissoner before being replaced by P.W.C. Davidar in December 2011, returned to the post for a second stint in April 2012. Dr. Karthikeyan will now take charge as the Chairman of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. During his eight-month tenure in the civic body, he focussed on giving shape to many initiatives, including integrated redevelopment of grid system of roads, footpaths, stormwater drains and new solid waste management schemes to improve the newly added areas of Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur.
Technical bids for many of the packages of road development works were scrutinised this week.
Just hours before his transfer on Thursday, he set a deadline of March 15 for the road projects, funded mainly by the Mega City Development Mission. Dr.Karthikeyan was known for setting tough deadlines. Last year, he was transferred weeks after administering the oath of office to the first AIADMK Mayor Saidai S. Duraisamy at a ceremony in the presence of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at Ripon Buildings.
