The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has once again deferred its essential monthly council meeting for November, citing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive. This marks a significant disruption in the civic body's regular administrative schedule, leaving councillors frustrated as key development works in their wards remain stalled.
Official Reason: All Hands on Deck for Revision Drive
Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar explained the decision, stating that the entire GCC machinery was deployed for the SIR drive throughout November. Consequently, not only was the main council meeting postponed, but ward committee and standing committee meetings also did not take place during the month. Kumar defended the move, asserting, "Officials too were busy in the drive, and there was no point in holding the meeting."
With the SIR drive being extended by an additional week, the civic body has now decided to club the November council meeting with the one scheduled for December. The deputy mayor assured that GCC would accommodate all councillors in the combined session next month.
Councillors' Discontent: Civic Projects in Limbo
The postponement has sparked disappointment among councillors, many of whom had been waiting for months to raise critical issues. At least 15 councillors who were finally slated to speak in November expressed their dismay. They highlighted that key resolutions for urgent local infrastructure projects—including new bus shelters, stormwater drains, and roads—are now delayed, which in turn holds up the tender process.
VCK councillor from Ashok Nagar, B Yazhini, questioned the logic behind cancelling the high-level council meeting. "How will they give an opportunity for 30 councillors in December's meeting? Only the low-level officials are involved in SIR drive. What do chief engineers or other engineers do? They could have held the meeting for three hours," she argued.
Yazhini further pointed out a perceived inconsistency: "School teachers and field-level workers are posted as booth-level officers, while the zonal officers in some cases are posted as election registration officers. How does the SIR drive affect the monthly council meet?" Her comments underscore a growing sentiment that core civic administration should not grind to a halt due to the revision exercise.
A Departure from Precedent and Its Implications
This deferral is notable because, over the last three years, GCC has rarely postponed its monthly council meetings. Even on the few occasions it did, the meetings were conducted within the same month. This adherence to schedule is crucial as each session typically sees the passage of at least 60 resolutions for key projects The current disruption therefore poses a direct threat to the pace of civic development across Chennai's wards. The delay in passing resolutions creates a bottleneck, potentially pushing back project timelines and affecting service delivery to residents. All eyes will now be on the December council meeting to see if the corporation can effectively manage a double agenda and address the backlog of councillors' concerns.
