Greater Chennai Corporation begins training session in tender procedures, 1,500 officials to participate

GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran addressing the training session held on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has started a training session in tender procedures for its engineers. The session aims to ensure transparency, fairness, accountability, and prudent use of public money during the implementation of civic infrastructure projects and welfare schemes.GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said: “In total, 1,500 officials are expected to be trained. During my interactions I urged them to openly discuss their constraints and positive experiences in the GCC. Some of the newly recruited assistant engineers were very forthcoming during these interactions. We are planning to have quarterly training sessions and discussions similar to this in the future.”The comprehensive training programme on the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023, and the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act is expected to strengthen the capacity of its officers in public procurement, tender management, and contract administration.In Tuesday’s session, around 250 officials, including zonal officers, executive engineers, assistant executive engineers, and zonal administration staff from all the 15 zones of the GCC participated.At the training session, officials emphasised the importance of ensuring transparency, accountability, and strict compliance with statutory provisions in all procurement and tendering activities undertaken by the Corporation. These procurement sessions covered the key provisions of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023, and the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act and Rules, including procurement planning, tendering procedures, bid evaluation, contract management, statutory compliance, and best practices in public procurement.The trainers advised the engineers to plan procurement activities well in advance, prepare clear and comprehensive bid documents, ensure compliance with statutory provisions and prescribed procurement timelines, maintain transparency and equal opportunity for all bidders, adopt best practices in bid evaluation and contract management, and continuously update their knowledge of Government Orders, procurement rules, and tender procedures. They said well-informed engineers played a crucial role in delivering quality infrastructure projects on time, ensuring efficient utilisation of public funds, and strengthening public confidence in the Greater Chennai Corporation.The training programme is expected to directly benefit the public by enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public procurement. Well-trained officials will be better equipped to conduct fair and timely tender processes, resulting in faster execution of civic infrastructure projects, improved quality of public assets, prudent utilisation of public funds, and better delivery of municipal services to the people, civic officials said.Nolambur Rajan, Valasaravakkam Zonal Chairman, said: “After the GCC stopped limited tenders, emergency work has been delayed. For example, a school classroom was damaged in a fire two weeks ago, but the work to restore it is yet to begin because the civic body has stopped limited tenders.”Speaking about limited tenders, Dr. Sameeran said: “Already, there is a provision for limited tenders in the civic body for low-value procurements. A detailed circular has been issued based on the Finance Department’s Government Order, which clearly gives directions on how low-value procurement and limited tenders are to be approached. The most important message to engineers at the training was to maintain utmost integrity while working in the GCC and take a leadership role in the area they are posted. Knowledge of procurement rules and procedures will help them avoid mistakes.” Published - July 29, 2026 12:20 am IST