Chennai, Oct 26 (IANS) In a major civic outreach initiative, the city corporation has announced that special meetings will be held across all 100 wards from October 27 to 29 to address key local issues and enhance citizen participation in urban governance.

Each meeting will be chaired by the respective ward councillor in the presence of senior corporation officials. Representatives from residents’ welfare associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and local community members are expected to attend.

The corporation has urged residents to actively take part in the sessions and voice their concerns regarding public services.

According to officials, the meetings will cover a wide range of civic issues, including the supply of drinking water, solid waste management, maintenance of roads, streetlights, parks, and stormwater drains.

“We are encouraging people to highlight deficiencies in civic services. From each ward, three grievances will be shortlisted as top priorities for immediate redressal,” an official said.

The review will also extend to ongoing welfare and educational initiatives such as the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme implemented in government and aided schools.

Corporation teams will assess the hygiene standards, basic infrastructure, and readiness of schools for the forthcoming northeast monsoon.

The meetings are expected to serve as a platform to identify urgent needs and plan pre-monsoon preparedness measures.

Ward councillors have welcomed the move, noting that such meetings have historically proven effective in fast-tracking projects and resolving complaints.

C. Shanthi, councillor from Ward 41, said, “All the grievances raised during the meeting will be uploaded on the Mudhalvarin Mugavari portal, allowing residents to easily track the progress of their petitions. Petitions submitted at these special sessions are usually prioritised. In my ward, two major projects were approved following earlier meetings of this kind.”

The Corporation officials said the collective feedback from the three-day programme would be consolidated into a comprehensive action plan to improve service delivery across the city. By fostering direct interaction between citizens and civic administrators, the initiative aims to create a more responsive and transparent governance framework.

–IANS

aal/dpb