CHENNAI: The third masterplan for Chennai Metropolitan Area, which will come into being from 2026 and last for two decades, will have a vision plan.
It is learnt that Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority is hiring a consultant to prepare the third masterplan which will have a long-term vision for desirable urban development of CMA through a participatory approach while reviewing global experiences in building a city vision.
A CMDA official told The New Indian Express that the Third Masterplan for 2026-46 will be for 1189 sq km only. The proposal to expand to 8878 sq km is a separate exercise and this expansion is not included in the scope of the new master plan preparation, he added.
K P Subramanian, a former professor of urban engineering at Anna University, said that it is important for giving direction to the formulation of a masterplan. Initially, the two masterplans didn't have a vision document and the second master plan had some flaws, he said.
The Second Master Plan has been an issue of bother. Builders, planners, and academicians have faulted the Second Masterplan, which hardly has been reviewed since it was implemented in 2010. As per the norm, every five years it should have been reviewed but planners in the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority have hardly done so.
While the First Master Plan and Second Master Plan projected a total increase in built-up area by 330.58sqkm (33,058 hectares) over the 50 year period between 1976 to 2026, the actual increase in built-up area as worked out using satellite imageries over 37 years period between 1979 and 2016 was 450.26 sqkm pointing to large-scale illegal constructions, according to a report by Comptroller and Auditor General accessed by The New Indian Express.
But then officials are trying to make the third masterplan more participative. Sources said that the consultant will be asked to elaborate on how the vision will be developed besides understanding the gaps in the second master plan with respect to identifying and executing a strong vision.
It is learnt the consultant will hold discussions with CMDA on past and current challenges in developing city visions and implementing master plans besides help in forming a core planning team which is representative of gender and differently-abled people to support on the visioning exercise and all through the following master planning steps.
The masterplan is believed to have more than 20 themes and strategic objectives will be prepared. Similarly, sources indicated that the new plan will also have a slogan which the consultant will be working on.
The themes include housing, affordability, Transport and Mobility, Disaster Risk, Climate Change & Resilience, Commerce, Industry and Trade, tourism, culture and heritage, health and lifestyle, safety and security, urban resilience, biodiversity, water bodies ad water supply, open spaces. sewage and water disposal among others.
K P Subramanian said the masterplan should be participative in nature unlike just publishing it in a gazette and two newspapers. "It is a different story whether the views of people are incorporated or not in the masterplan," said Subramanian. "The third master plan should elicit the view of the people, who are at the receiving end. be it lack of transport or inundation during rains or water scarcity," he
said.
Sivasubramaniam Jayaraman, Manager - Transport systems, ITDP India, said the 'Vision Setting' exercise for the new master plan is a welcome approach. The government needs to ensure that this exercise is taken to the citizens at the ward-level for consultation. A city master plan should reflect the aspirations of the citizens, a joint visioning exercise will ensure that.