CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will develop a 2,000-acre Global City at Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district, as part of the strategy to position the state as a magnet for global investment and innovation.
The Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has invited bids to appoint a consultant to prepare the master plan and steer the project, first announced by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu in the state budget earlier this year.
During the initial announcement, the state did not divulge the site. As per sources, the Global City will feature IT and financial districts, convention centres, residential communities, healthcare and educational institutions, hospitality clusters, entertainment zones and green open spaces. It will be underpinned by AI-driven city management systems, digital-twin-based urban simulations, smart mobility platforms and resilient utilities.
The Global City shall aspire to become a model of sustainability and resilience by adopting global best practices such as transitioning towards low-carbon development, integrating renewable energy at scale, maximising reuse and recycling of water, creating abundant green and open spaces, and promoting sustainable mobility with a strong focus on public and non-motorised transport, sources said.
Project to act as model for future urban development
According to official sources, the aim of the project is to set a benchmark for environmental, social and governance (ESG)-aligned growth, with strong emphasis on low-carbon development, water reuse and recycling, sustainable mobility and inclusive community planning.
By combining economic vibrancy, global connectivity and urban sustainability, the Global City is expected to act as a catalyst for TN’s transformation into a global innovation hub and a model for future large-scale urban development.
The project is also being seen as a test case for the state’s renewed attempt to build satellite townships around Chennai. Earlier efforts — including a 1972 plan to develop a 178-acre satellite town at Maraimalai Nagar under the city’s First Master Plan — largely failed to take off, with CMDA still trying to reclaim the land it acquired more than 40 years ago. A similar fate befell Manali New Town, proposed in the early 1990s in North Chennai, which never materialised.
This comes as the state has announced plans to develop satellite towns in Thirumazhisai, Minjur, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Mamallapuram and Kancheepuram, using a land-pooling mechanism. Most of these projects remain at the conceptual stage, and the pooling scheme has been delayed by legal challenges.
Test case for building towns around Chennai
The project is being seen as a test case for TN’s renewed attempt to build satellite townships around Chennai. Earlier efforts — including a 1972 plan to develop a 178-acre satellite town at Maraimalai Nagar under the city’s First Master Plan — largely failed to take off, with CMDA still trying to reclaim the land it acquired more than 40 years ago. A similar fate befell Manali New Town, proposed in the early 1990s in North Chennai, which never materialised.