20 local bodies to be merged with Avadi Corporation

CHENNAI: The Avadi Corporation which was established in 2019 with an area of 65 sq km would be expanded to 181.82 sq km which is nearly thrice the existing Avadi Corporation limit, said a government order released by the municipal administration.

The three municipalities of Poonamalle, Tiruverkadu, and Tirunindravur and 17 adjacent village panchayats including Karunakaracheri, Nadukuthagai, Nemilicherry, Morai, Palavedu, Vellanur, Ayappakkam, Kattupakkam, Kannapalayam, Sorancheri, Banaveduthottam, Senneerkuppam, Nazarathpettai, Parivakkam, Varadarajapuram, Agaramel and Meppur will be merged with Avadi Corporation, the GO read.

“Poonamalle and Tiruverkadu municipalities are located on the Chennai-Bangalore highway. Poonamalle is home to the 100-year-old Arinagar Anna Boys' High School, where the Chennai Metro Rail service will be launched in the year 2026. Also, Thiruverkadu is a heritage town where the famous Mariamman Temple is located. Bhaktavachala Perumal Temple, one of the 108 Vaishnava shrines, is located in Tiruninravur municipality. The Outer Ring Road connecting Poonamalle, Tiruninavur, Morai, and Vellanur areas stretches from Vandalur to Madhavaram. Merging the 20 local bodies with the Avadi Corporation will improve the standard of living of the people and augment the basic facilities,” the GO read.

“The expansion of the corporation would ensure better infrastructure like surplus drinking water supply and underground sewage facilities. There would be more bus facilities and metro expansion would be considered in these areas leading to better connectivity,” explained S Kandasamy, the Commissioner of Avadi corporation.

“All the local bodies that are proposed to be merged are near Chennai so there would be better governance as it is under the surveillance of civil servants, unlike the village panchayat heads. When it was a rural body the revenue allocation for various activities was less but after expansion, there would be equal distribution of the funds as the area comes under the corporation,” Kandasamy said.

The move would economically benefit the residents as the land rates would increase when the 20 local bodies come under the urban body, Kandasamy added.