CHENNAI: Builders and other sections involved in construction and real estate development are upbeat today, notwithstanding the shortage of material.

Reason: the Government's announcement in the Assembly for creating more satellite townships.

"The announcement comes at the right time and is a far-sighted decision," says Builders Association of India's (BAI) Chennai centre chairman L. Moorthi.

Real estate prices are impossibly high in the inner city of Chennai. So much so that it may well become impossible for honest middle class citizens to own a house.

"A well-developed satellite township with all facilities could certainly help control these prices," he says.

However, persons such as the former national president of the BAI, R. Radhakrishnan, say satellite townships have to come along existing or proposed rail corridors to be successful.

Votaries of this concept note that Manali New Town in the north founded as a satellite township did not realise its full potential only because it lacked rail link.

"Any satellite township should have access to rail links. This will prevent road congestion. The Government should acquire barren land.... in Chennai's case, it can look at vast stretches along the Tiruvallur-Arakkonam rail corridor. Residents of the new township will certainly benefit from the broad gauge railway links. As this area comes near the Krishna water canal, drinking water supply need not be a problem."

Mr. Radhakrishnan feels the previous government's idea of building the new Secretariat near Tiruvidanthai along the Buckingham Canal should be considered.

"You only have to lay 40 km stretch of railway track. The Government will have to acquire land in 30-40 villages and this should not be a problem since it has already placed a restriction on land transactions here."

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