CHENNAI: While Tamil Nadu prepares to set the ball rolling on the 2,000-acre Global City at Madurantakam in Chengalpattu, the state’s earlier attempts at creating satellite towns to ease the burden on Chennai remain stuck on the drawing board.
Officials attribute the delays largely to land pooling disputes and litigation. The ambitious plan to establish townships in Thirumazhisai, Chengalpattu, Minjur, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and later Mamallapuram was unveiled in 2022–23. The Rs 8,000-crore Thirumazhisai township, backed by 15th Finance Commission funding, was meant to be the flagship.
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had prepared a technology-enabled master plan, but land availability has proved the biggest challenge, with compensation disputes and legal cases stalling the pooling mechanism.
The Thirumazhisai project has a long history. The Tamil Nadu Housing Board first attempted it in 1996, identifying 1,694.9 acres. However, only 466.5 acres were secured, and by 2007, acquisition had run into roadblocks as much of the land was actively used for agriculture. A CMDA terms of reference document for the present government’s plan highlights these recurring challenges.
Other proposed townships also face uncertainty. Kancheepuram’s project spans 18 villages along the Chennai–Bengaluru Highway across 62.8 sq.km, while Tiruvallur’s plan covers 11 villages over 37.74 sq.km. The 9,553-hectare Chengalpattu project has been pitched as a low-carbon, renewable-powered city with compact, mixed-use growth along transport corridors. Minjur’s plan focuses on affordable housing to address the lack of organised development in North Chennai. Despite these detailed proposals, little progress has been made on the ground.
Urban planners caution that Tamil Nadu risks repeating the experience of Maraimalai Nagar, a satellite town project announced in 1972 but which failed to take off. They note that the state’s struggles mirror those seen elsewhere. Gujarat’s Dholera Special Investment Region and Andhra Pradesh’s Amaravati both faced delays due to challenges in land pooling, financing, and political will. “Satellite cities can take decades to mature,” a former planner said. “Without a clear land assembly framework and investor confidence, they risk becoming paper towns.”
Meanwhile, other marquee projects are also in limbo. The proposed Global Sports City at Semmancheri remains in the concept stage, with preliminary work alone carried out on its 127-acre site. The first phase of Fintech City at Nandambakkam, originally slated for an August launch, has also been delayed. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has now invited bids for consultants to move the project forward following a budget announcement earlier this year.