Civic staff to dress up for work

TNN / May 28, 2008, 03:50 IST

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From plain to paisley — that’s the new look Corporation workers will sport from July. Printed grey and orange saris, churidars and trousers will replace their dreary blue and khaki uniforms.

CHENNAI: From plain to paisley �� that��s the new look Corporation workers will sport from July. Printed grey and orange saris, churidars and trousers will replace their dreary blue and khaki uniforms.
The new uniforms, made of poly-cotton, have been designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).
The saris have orange and burgundy paisley motifs on a grey background.These will be teamed with grey blouses with a logo �� CC, for Chennai Corporation, embossed on an image of Ripon Buildings. For the first time in the history of the Corporation, women can choose between saris and churidars, depending on which they find more comfortable.
The men��s uniforms are slightly less exciting �� but a vast improvement over their khaki shirts. They will be given grey shirts with mandarin collars and the logo on the pocket and dark grey, double-pleated trousers.

"We paid a lot of attention to colours. We thought bright colours and well-designed uniforms would cheer the staff up and make them feel good," says Rajesh Lakhoni, Commissioner, Chennai Corporation. Labour unions and representatives of managerial associations spent three months looking at the various designs NIFT put before them, and the local body decided on the orange and grey uniforms a few days ago. The DMK-led council has proposed uniforms for all categories, from the commissioner down to field-level staff.

The NIFT design department and 100 students worked on the project for nearly a year. "We handled this alongside regular academic and administrative work. We also have projects for BSNL, the hotel industry and the National Institute of Siddha," says P Mohanraj, course coordinator - Fashion and Textiles, NIFT.
NIFT has submitted designs for uniforms for the rest of the staff. Uniforms will be introduced for them in a phased manner, officials say, as there is opposition from the managerial staff, who have not been wearing uniforms. Co-optex will weave the material for about 9,200 uniforms and supply the material within a month, so the uniforms will be ready by July. "We are proud to introduce uniforms for the Corporation, just as the police and transport departments have a uniform structure," Mayor M Subramanian told TOI.

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