Absence Of Project Details On GCC Website Riles Citizens
Efforts were being made to streamline data uploads and improve coordination between departments: GCC official
CHENNAI: Residents across the city have raised concerns over the absence of updated information on ongoing and completed civic projects on the official website of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), alleging that the lapse has affected transparency and public accountability.
Details related to road works, stormwater drain projects, park development and other infrastructure initiatives are often outdated, incomplete or missing altogether. In several cases, project timelines, costs and contractor information have not been updated for months, making it difficult for citizens to track progress or raise informed complaints.
N. Viswanathan, an advocate and civic activist, said that for several months the civic body had not updated the progress report of the projects either on the website or Namma Chennai App. ''I have complained about the issue. However, no reply has been received so far. Currently, there is no corresponding update online. Residents are left guessing about deadlines and responsibilities,” he said.
Others pointed out that lack of real-time updates defeats the purpose of digital governance initiatives promoted by the civic body. Activists noted that timely disclosure of project data is crucial, particularly during monsoon-related works, when delays or poor execution can have serious consequences. They urged the corporation to regularly update ward-wise project details and ensure consistency between field-level execution and online records.
K. Gopalakrishnan, an activist, said that even details of property tax payment details were absent on the website. No floor -wise details are available. Earlier, the website had shown years of construction, floor details and tax slabs. This will result in widespread misuse of residents by concealing property details to avoid property taxes, he said.
C. Raghukumar, a Perambur-based civic activist, said residents were getting no proper information from the civic body. ''They cut the road and make concrete jungles in Perambur. However, there is no information to the residents about what kind of project they were undertaking. They don’t even inform the date of area sabha meetings, he rues.
A GCC official, however, said efforts were being made to streamline data uploads and improve coordination between departments. Steps would be taken to ensure project information is updated periodically to enhance transparency and public trust, said the official.