Chennai: The model code of conduct, which came into force on March 16 across Tamil Nadu following the poll notification by the Election Commission of India, was lifted on Thursday. However, it did not make much difference, as offices of key departments remained silent both at the Secretariat and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
Awaiting New Government
The heads of departments and GCC councillors are awaiting the new government and a new set of ministers and officers to assume charge. No review meetings are being held as of now. Deputy Mayor Mahesh Kumar stated, "The council is active on paper, but we are watching out on how things roll out. If there's a new government, it will be a challenge in getting resolutions passed. Plus, we have to get government sanctions for every council resolution. So, it is better to wait for a new administration so that the bureaucratic procedures resume." He added that even financial sanctions will resume only after the next government comes.
Empty Corridors and Halted Projects
The Secretariat and Ripon Building corridors are not buzzing with any files moving between departments, and no big projects are being discussed. All the councillor rooms are vacant, civic works in the city remain halted, and supervision and reviews have not taken off among officials.
K Karthik, an AIADMK councillor from Tiruvottiyur, said routine works are ongoing, but future projects and administrative reviews do not make sense when a new government is not in place. "If there's a government change, we aren't sure if they will dissolve the council or not. It has happened in the past. We will have to wait and watch," he said.
Stalled City Projects
As a result of this logjam, several city projects launched by the previous regime remain stuck. V Sandhya of Anna Nagar M Block said the Bougainvillea Park Restoration has stalled, resulting in people walking outside. "They have not secured the underground cables in Second Avenue, which were dug up to build stormwater drains," he added.
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About the Author
Omjasvin M D is a Principal Correspondent with The Times of India, currently reporting from the Tamil Nadu Secretariat after starting his career as a civic reporter. He has broken impactful investigations from the toilet scam, parking scam to the expose on shadow councillors that pushed accountability and reform in the city. His work blends storytelling, data journalism, investigation and developmental reporting. He also does video stories, expanding his journalism into multimedia storytelling. At heart, he is driven by one goal: to uncover the truth and make governance more transparent for the people it serves.
