CHENNAI: The state government has planned to increase the number of wards in the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limit and discussions are under way to extend areas from Tambaram, city mayor R Priya said in a statement.

She further mentioned that only the initial stage of discussion is happening but the paperwork is yet to be prepared. “The plans to extend the city corporation limit and oral discussion for the same is under way. As of now, the discussion focuses on the areas to be included in the Chennai corporation limit from Tambaram. The number of wards is expected to increase in the future. However, there might be changes in the further meetings,” the mayor told DT Next.

The expansion process commenced in the city including 9 municipalities, 8 town panchayats, and 25 village panchayats including Madhavaram, Ambattur, Kathivakkam, Tiruvottriyur, and Alandur in 2011. Thus, the area increased by 140 per cent from 176 sqkm to 426 sqkm.

Meanwhile, four wards in the city are yet to get elected members as councillors – Congress councillor Nanjil Eshwar Prasad of Ward 165, and two DMK councillors Sheeba Vasu of Ward 122, Alapakkam K Shanmugam of Ward 146, and K Saraswathi of Ward 58 – passed away last year due to illness.

“There has been no information from the election commission. As of now, the EC has planned to conduct an election in one ward which is yet to be confirmed. However, we have requested the commission to conduct elections for all four wards at the same time. At present, the zonal chairman and assistant engineers are in charge of these wards,” explained the mayor.

According to the election commission norms, an election should be conducted only after six months if a ward member expires. But the election to these four wards has been delayed. The procedure including the material process and nominations will begin in the respective wards once the election commission issues a statutory order.