Chennai Corporation likely to be trifurcated

Chennai, Aug 13 (UNI) The historic Corporation of Chennai, established in 1688, is likely to be trifurcated, as the city has grown in size and population.

Local Administration Minister M K Stalin, in a brief chat with mediapersons after addressing a function at the Corporation, said an expert committee appointed by the government, has recommended the trifurcation of the Corporation.

The committee has suggested that two new Corporations, one for the South with Tambaram as its headquarters and one for the North, with Ambattur as headquarters, be established in view of recent developments in the IT sector and increase in population.

The recommendation was under the consideration of the government, Mr Stalin said adding, the government might take a decision on trifurcating the Corporation before the next Local Body election, due in 2011.

The Corporation of Chennai (previously Madras) was the oldest municipal institution in India established on September 29, 1688. A charter was issued on December 30, 1607 by East India Company constituting the ''Town of Fort St George.'' Since then, the city has been growing in size and population and the number of territorial divisions have grown from 30 in 1919 to 155 now.

The population of the city has also gone up from five lakh in 1921 to approximately 42 lakh now, a Corporation website said.

Similarly, the area has increased from 27.6 sq miles in 1921 to 174 sq km now, it said.

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