CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has notified 136.25 sq km consisting of 60 villages to develop the satellite town of Chengalpattu, according to a Government Order (GO) issued by Housing Secretary Hitesh Kumar S Makwana.The GO, issued on Wednesday, said a study was done for delineation of planning area boundaries for the proposed Chengalpattu New Town, which includes 60 villages from Chengalpattu, Thirukazhukundram, and Thiruporur taluks.
“The contiguous villages around the central core of Chengalpattu town, bounded by the natural boundary of Palar River on the west, GST Road and Mahindra City or Singaperumal Koil on the north, several non-continuous hillocks on the east, and the new administrative headquarters on the south have been considered for the delineation of planning area boundary,” the GO stated.
This will help tap the potential of new residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional activities along GST Road, Chengalpattu-Thiruporur Corridor, and the Chengalpattu-Wallajabad Corridor, the GO said.
The government had planned satellite towns to decongest Chennai. The four other satellite towns proposed are Thirumazhisai, Minjur, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur.
A Shankar, chief operating officer, strategic consulting and valuation, JLL West Asia, said the new town development plan should not only lead to more organised development with a focus on infrastructure, but also act as a vehicle for economic growth. “Chengalpattu is fast transforming into a more dense development zone with many new projects under construction and in the pipeline. This should help in planned and regulated development along with a livable, sustainable, safer, and healthier environment,” he added.
The GO also said the new satellite town would regulate the sprawl of developments owing to limited availability of land filled with physiological features that are to be conserved.This also comes as the recent authority meeting discussed the borders of the proposed Minjur and Tiruvallur satellite towns. But a former planner questioned the proposal of the satellite town of Chengalpattu.
“Why is CMDA focussing on creating a satellite town in Chengalpattu when it acquired land in 1974 to develop a satellite town at Maraimalai Nagar to regulate population growth in the city as suggested by the First Master Plan. How far is Chengalpattu from Marimalai Nagar? Did they undertake any study on how Chengalpattu could act like a magnet to woo people? Previous projects had a vision. CMDA should first try to revive the earlier satellite township project rather than focus on a new one,” he reasoned.