Date:14/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/14/stories/2008071450380100.htm

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Plans to expand Tirupur Corporation area

K.V. Prasad

Photo: M. Balaji

SET FOR EXPANSION: Tirupur is looking to become a bigger city. –

TIRUPUR: If the present plan for expansion is executed, Tirupur will become a 150 sq km city corporation from its present size of 27 sq.km. And, it will be bigger than the 105 sq.km. Coimbatore Corporation that is also contemplating expansion.

Tirupur Corporation Commissioner M. Ashokan says the State Government has appointed an Officer on Special Duty (of the rank of an Assistant Director) to go into the merger of other local bodies with the Corporation.

Once the officer takes charge, the Corporation will begin the process of redrawing the boundaries of the wards and creating zones, each having a group of wards, says Mr. Ashokan.

The planned expansion is similar to the one carried out in Coimbatore in 1981, when it was upgraded to a Corporation from a municipality.

The move in Tirupur is to merge with the Corporation the third grade municipalities of 15 Velampalayam and Nallur and eight village panchayats, namely Chettipalayam, Mannarai, Thottipalayam, Andipalayam, Veerapandi, Murugampalayam, Neruperichal and Muthannanpalayam.

According to the 2007 population figures the merger will increase that of the Corporation from 4.23 lakh to 6.8 lakh and the number of wards from 52 to 120.

According to details provided by the Corporation, its present tax revenue is Rs. 47.08 crore.

Revenue

With the existing revenue of Rs. 12.64 crore of the other local bodies, the post-merger income is put at Rs. 59.72 crore. But, with higher tax rates for a Corporation, the income is bound to be more than the projected figure.

Official sources say that having become a Corporation, Tirupur may make an attempt at being included in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission based on its stature as an industrial and knitwear export zone. Slum rehabilitation is a major task, what with a steady inflow of migrant workers employed by the knitwear industry.

Drinking water supply and waste management are the other areas of concern in a developing urban local body.

In keeping with the expansion plan, Tirupur also looks to improve its basic infrastructure such as roads.

With high cost of living already driving people to the outskirts, the Corporation is aware that the expansion will entail providing good roads and water supply to the added areas.