33 town panchayats to be upgraded as municipalities

Population is one of the basic criteria for declaring an area as a town panchayat or municipality. Being classified as a municipality will help enhance revenue to enhance infrastructure.

According to official sources, Chengalpattu district, which was recently carved out from Chennai and Kancheepuram districts, will be the major beneficiary under the demarcation programme. Among the town panchayats, Thirukalukundram, Guduvancheri, Tiruneermalai, Chitlapakkam, Madambakkam and Perungalathur in Chengalpattu have qualified to be upgraded as municipalities. Most of the town panchayats within Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) will qualify for the upgradation, sources said, adding that the special grade town panchayats in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, too, will get the advantage of the exercise.

Kundrathur and Mangadu, which have a population of about 50,000 and 30,000 residents respectively, will also be converted into municipalities. Ponneri town panchayat in Tiruvallur district that has a population of 31,000 will also be upgraded.

Districts like Coimbatore and Tirunelveli too will witness upgradation of civic bodies. In the Western region, town panchayats like Avinashi, Gudalur, Karamadai, Karumathampatti, Madukkarai and Kotagiri in The Nilgiris will also be upgraded. Perundurai in Erode is another large panchayat awaiting upgradation. Similarly, Kalakad, Panangudi and Vadakkuvalliyur, all located in Tirunelveli district, will be upgraded into municipal areas.

“It’s good news if Mangadu town panchayat is upgraded into a municipality. A municipality can generate more funds and enhance the scope of civic infrastructure. We are yet to get the official orders in this regard,” said a civic official from Mangadu town panchayat.