CHENNAI: After 54 years, the Tamil Nadu government has amended ad hoc rules of the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) to directly recruit Assistant directors. According to a recent government order (GO), hiring to the post through direct recruitment and transfer should be in the ratio of 3:1.
The move comes after the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs wrote a letter to the State to expedite the filling up of vacant positions. The DTCP, which has a sanctioned strength of 801, has only 267 permanent staff.
Of these, only six are qualified planners. Dr KR Thooyavan, former professor of MEASI Academy of Architecture and former chief planner of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) told TNIE that the direct recruitment of an assistant director is required as this will infuse fresh blood and give a new perspective to planning.
Highlighting that Chennai didn't have an institute offering Bachelor in Planning yet, he said the State could recruit candidates with Masters in planning for the post. The GO has been facing criticism too. In the qualification prescribed, Bachelors in architecture and engineering have been equated with Bachelors in Planning.
"This parallel must have been drawn considering the number of years and levels of study and not on the syllabus," said a former planner on the condition of anonymity. Another eligibility clause in the GO that the planners are disagreeing with is the experience required.
"Three years experience in government departments or agencies alone will be considered. Persons working in the private sector will not be eligible. Thus, this will impact those with degree in BPlan and want to apply for the post of assistant director." said the former planner.
The other major change the GO brings is the omission of Associate Members of the Institute of Town Planners, which is considered equivalent to Post Graduate Degree in Town and Country Planning. Former Anna University professor of urban engineering, KP Subramanian, said, "Members of the Institute of Architects and Engineers, which are equivalent to degrees in architecture and engineering, have been included. But Associate Members of the Institute of Town Planners, which is considered equivalent to the postgraduate degree in Town and Country Planning, included earlier, has been omitted.
The omission is serious and is considered as an anomaly," he said. However, a senior housing department official justified the commission stating that the institute of town planners doesn't come under the Parliament Act. There is no justification for including it, he says.
Meanwhile, planners have raised concern that the government should come out with a consolidated rule rather than going in for ad hoc rules.