Delimitation: zones to be reclassified in Greater Chennai Corporation

CHENNAI: With the massive delimitation of wards in the Greater Chennai Corporation nearing an end, the government and civic body have been mulling reclassification of zones. Currently, the Greater Chennai Corporation comprises 15 zones. “The reclassification of divisions will be undertaken by the state government. The drive will commence after the conclusion of local body elections,” D. Karthikeyan, commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, said in a delimitation consultative meeting held on Thursday.

During the consultative meeting, some residents of division 29 of Madavaram zone raised demands to add the division with Manali. Geographically, the division is located close to Manali. It will help residents to address their civic issues if the civic body adds the division to Manali zone, residents demanded. Replying to residents, Karthikeyan said the division would be appended with Manali during the reclassification of zones that would be carried out shortly.  

“The officials spilt 183, 184, 185 and 186 divisions to create whole new division. The authority should leave the division as it is,” said some residents.
 Explaining stakeholders on reservations, delimitation commissioner Malik Feroze Khan said reservations to women and scheduled caste would be assured according to the election commission of India (ECI) norms. “After the delimitation drive, the number of reservation wards will remain same,” he assured.
 The top officials also rejected the demands of Sholinganallur zones to append Kannagi Nagar and Ezhil Nagar as a single division.

“Due to large tenements in Kannagi Nagar, the population in the division already exceeds 80,000, which is 100 percent more than allowed number. When adding Ezhil Nagar, the population would go further up. So there is no feasibility of keeping both localities in a single division,” Malik Feroze Khan said.