CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government has been focusing on urban reforms in the last two years and has been working on land pooling, transferable development rights, creation of new satellite cities, amending the 1971 Town and Country Planning Act and development along Chennai Metro and MRTS corridors.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman, in her budget speech, said that the Centre wants states and cities to be encouraged to undertake urban planning reforms and actions to transform cities into sustainable cities of tomorrow by making efficient use of land resources, adequate resources for urban infrastructure, transit-oriented development, enhanced availability and affordability of urban land and opportunities for all.
“Interestingly, the state has already been working on bringing reforms in planning and making efficient use of land resources through land pooling. A lot of projects are being envisaged under the Centre’s line of thinking giving more emphasis on urban planning in other cities across Tamil Nadu, including Chennai,” said A Shankar, COO, of Strategic Consulting and Valuation, JLL West Asia.
The state is planning six satellite cities on the outskirts of Chennai, which includes Thirumazhisai satellite township vying to get Rs 1,000 crore in funding from the union government under the 15th Finance commission (2021-22 to 2025-26). The other five proposed include Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Minjur, Mamallapuram and Thiruvallur.
The state is also looking at vertical growth along the transit-oriented corridors as CMDA is mulling to have a maximum floor space index of 6.5 in the transit-oriented development area along the Chennai Metro Rail and MRTS corridors. Apart from this, there is a plan to amend the 1971 Town and Country Planning Act to focus on regional planning.
“Allocation of Rs 10,000 crores to NHB for infrastructure development and increased regional connectivity through 50 more additional airports and helipads will also boost affordable regional connectivity and will add impetus for infrastructure development, especially in tier-2 and 3 cities which will help in improving the economic activities of these areas,” said S Sridharan, director of LYRA properties and chairman (policy) of Housing and Urban Development CREDAI National.
Former Anna University professor of urban engineering K P Subramanian said Infrastructure and Amenities Charges are levied on high-rise developments in Tamil Nadu to meet its impact on the infrastructure. “This charge is deposited into the State Infrastructure and Amenities Fund, defeating the very purpose for which the charge is levied. It would be appropriate only if the fund is utilised to augment the infrastructure in the city concerned,” he said.