The Hindu : Front Page : Proposal for new city awaits clearance

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Friday, Feb 01, 2008
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Proposal for new city awaits clearance

A. Srivathsan

Chennai: The area south of Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road stretching up to the road connecting Chengalpattu -Tirupporur is to be developed as a new city. The master plan for this area measuring about 500 sq.km, about half the size of the present Chennai Metropolitan area, awaits government approval.

In March 2007, the Tamil Nadu Government set up a high-level planning committee to explore the possibility of developing the area between Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road and Mamallapuram as a world-class city. A master plan has now been proposed nine months after the first meeting.

The plan identifies the road networks that connect GST Road with OMR and ECR. It also conceptually earmarks the interconnections and makes provision for the outer ring road to pass through. The forestland and water bodies have been mapped and the buildable portions separately zoned. Government sources inform that the existing developments would be integrated into the master plan.

It has not been decided whether a separate development authority would administer this area or whether it would be part of the CMDA with its boundaries extended. The role of local bodies in this development is yet to be discussed.

In the first meeting in March, the planning committee discussed the possibilities of joint development with private developers and explored the means to facilitate the emergence of a new city that meets international standards.

The committee also looked at the possibility of zoning the entire area into blocks of 500 to 1,000 acres for development.

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