The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Cabinet sub-committee on second master plan to meet again

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Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Cabinet sub-committee on second master plan to meet again

R.K. Radhakrishnan and A. Srivathsan

It discusses increasing FSI, relaxing height restrictions

Infrastructure needed in newly ‘developing areas’ discussed
Meeting favours a flexible approach to car parking

CHENNAI: The Cabinet sub-committee on the second master plan for the Chennai Metropolitan Area on Tuesday discussed an increase in the floor space index and relaxing height restrictions and building violations. It will meet again on July 21 with a set of “workable proposals” before submitting them to the Cabinet.

The sub-committee discussed increasing the floor space index that determines the maximum buildable area on a plot in the context of the city’s rapid expansion.

Relaxing the height restriction was considered in the light of efforts at increasing the height of the weather radar at the port.

Infrastructure required to be put in place in the newly ‘developing areas’ such as Chengalpattu and Maraimalai Nagar to facilitate development was also discussed.

As for car parking, the sub-committee favoured a flexible approach. It did not want this to be incorporated into the floor space index calculations, and considered a few suggestions for phrasing this concern.

Building violations were considered at length. The government is bound by court rulings on this issue.

At the same time, it is also keen on giving some relief to 1.7 lakh owners of unauthorised constructions.

How these two parameters can be combined meaningfully is the question that threw up many a suggestion, says one official.

The Tamil Nadu Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2007, challenged in the Supreme Court and which prevents demolition of unauthorised buildings for one year, expires on July 27.

The first master plan was published in 1975. The second draft master plan was made public in April 2007.

The suggestions made by the public and experts were cleared in November 2007, and the plan was submitted for final approval.

In January, the government retuned the master plan, raising objections over Development Control Rules and classification of housing categories.

The CMDA revised the plan and accommodated the government’s suggestions, and resubmitted it for approval in March.

The meeting, chaired by Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami, was attended by PWD Minister Durai Murugan, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy, Transport Minister K.N. Nehru and Information Minister Parithi Illamvazhuthi, who is also in-charge of urban development.

The sub-committee was set up at the last Cabinet meeting, following reservations expressed about some parts of the new plan.

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