Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is unlikely to release councillors’ ward development funds and the mayor’s special development funds, with only six months left before DMK council’s term ends.Amid protests by DMK councillors demanding that GCC release allocations under the councillor fund of ₹60 lakh each and the mayor’s fund of ₹4 crore, civic officials said the pending demand is about ₹130 crore and is unlikely to be cleared this year. “GCC has a historical financial deficit of ₹3,500 crore, and the civic body has to be prudent in expenditure,” an official said.Councillors demand limited tenders, in which direct quotations are given to contractors, but the govt has given strict instructions to use only open tenders.“Only works such as preparing for VIP events, flood mitigation, emergency civic fixes for building collapses, missing walls, manholes and evacuation come under the emergency category. Routine work such as road relaying or pavement building cannot be brought under emergency funds,” he said.A senior official, however, said the councillors can propose works to the assistant engineer, and the civic body will incorporate them in their projects or into newer scheme-based projects funded by the govt or external agencies. “As a policy, GCC isn’t implementing impromptu projects that also lack continuity,” the official said.Councillors, on the other hand, seek funds through limited tenders and say they have only six months to finish projects before their term ends. “Moreover, contractors quote 15 to 20 per cent lower in open tendering, which affects quality. The Tender Transparency Act allows limited tenders for emergency works, and councillors must not be portrayed as corrupt if they exercise this rule,” said Valasaravakkam zonal chairperson V Rajan, adding that GCC constructed the CM’s office in Perambur by floating limited tenders for the ₹1.15 crore project.
