The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : CMDA to constitute cell

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 11, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

CMDA to constitute cell

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

To look into densification along Metro Rail Corridor

— Photo: S. S. Kumar

FACILITY COMING: A view of the upcoming Metro Rail project on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai.

CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority will soon constitute a cell to look into the Chennai Metro Rail Limited's proposal for densification along the Metro Rail Corridor.

If approved, the densification would lead to a higher Floor Space Index for the constructions in proximity to the corridor. More built-up space would mean more residents using the corridor.

The cell would comprise CMDA planners and officials of the CMRL.

“Densification of the Metro Rail corridor is under consideration,” CMDA vice-chairperson Susan Mathew told The Hindu on Wednesday.

At a meeting on the densification recently, CMDA planners had expressed reservations on account of the absence of any study by the CMRL to prove that densification would have a positive impact on metro rail.

According to CMDA officials, unless the CMRL addresses issues such as parking space near the proposed stations, densification is not advisable.

The CMRL would shortly undertake a study to document the benefits of densification, according to its Managing Director K. Rajaraman. “Densification is good as it is likely to increase the ridership of the Metro Rail.”

The CMRL is also planning to discuss the issue of parking with the Chennai Corporation and identify potential parking lots within 0.5 km of every proposed metro rail station.

This is essential as the land available for creating parking facilities near the stations is minimal in view of the limited land acquisition from private owners.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section