There’s absolutely no doubt that the havoc created in Chennai by the heavy rains this monsoon was due to poor city planning. Clearly, we are paying the price for unscrupulously developing real estate on the city’s natural reserves, lakes and marshlands. Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations, poor construction practices, and the appalling state of civic infrastructure are being blamed, but in fact there is a larger issue that needs to be looked at.
The fact remains that the increasing population has forced the city to reclaim land and expand its boundaries. The challenge lies in executing infrastructure development for this expanded city in a smart and sustainable manner.
Not just aquick fix
We are ignoring permanent solutions, looking instead only at quick, patchwork alternatives. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) can become smarter by emerging into a larger planning authority rather than being a body that allots individual plot approvals only. As Xavier Benedict, city-based urban planner and architect, says: “The CMDA can utilise the Institute of Town Planners of India (ITPI) and Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) and empower them as building plan approving agencies. Kerala has already taken this seriously and has empowered architects as approving agents.”
Planning at the government level should concentrate instead on environment, economic and social goals (EES) of development. This EESD should be broken down and implemented at the neighbourhood level through detailed plans.
Increasing density within the city and expanding its boundaries with better connectivity in a scientific manner is the way forward. Sujatha Shankar, architect and vice-chairman, Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), says, “The reason behind the current water logging is because most water bodies have filled up and have lost their internal links. For our rivers and lakes to flourish, their flow needs to be respected.” She says the problem today is that plots are becoming smaller and buildings are getting closer. “Any construction activity during the monsoon is a threat to neighbouring buildings as the soil is likely to slide.”
Cohesive master plan needed
Speaking about construction practices, Shripal Munshi, principal architect, Shripal and Venkat Architects, says there are two ways to construct — either we go vertical and increase the FSI in a responsible and safe manner as has been done in other cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi, or we grow laterally. “In Chennai, we see imbalanced, sporadic growth areas driven by economics and opportunity rather than by a cohesive master plan that takes into account a holistic approach by placing nature, environment and urban expansion on equal pedestals,” he says. Developing residential and commercial projects in low lying areas must be avoided. If developments do come up, storm water and sewage provisions should be designed to withstand double the normal capacity.
“Nature always provides for a natural path for water to run off to the nearest lake or water body. When we ignore these or block them with no alternative options, we set ourselves up for a perfect mess,” says Munshi. This is exactly what the city has seen this year. Developers need to strictly adhere to regulations such as land use plan, setbacks, CRZ, height of building and so on, says A. Shankar, National Director and Head - Strategic Consulting, JLL.
Local bodies have classified some areas as ecologically sensitive but these guidelines are flouted.
The question to ask is if Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports are being prepared objectively and whether ‘no objection’ certificates from concerned ministries are issued without fear or favour.
Go local
Because the basic tenets of urban planning are flouted, the city is facing the worst combination imaginable — imbalanced growth with insufficient and poorly planned infrastructure.
Revisiting the principles of traditional, vernacular architecture is another solution. Benedict says, “Traditional homes in Tamil Nadu villages have raised plinths, and all the streets used to be aligned with temple tanks and ponds. It is unfortunate that with modern education systems being inspired solely by the West, we have forgotten localised design principles in architecture and engineering.”
Cyclones, typhoons, and hurricanes occur across the world but, as Munshi says, “Sensible design, proper engineering and, most importantly, regular maintenance can ensure that buildings cope with these conditions.”
For example, Hong Kong is hit by a typhoon almost every year with wind velocities crossing 100 km an hour, but the buildings can withstand it and don’t turn into stranded, uninhabitable ghost towns.
Ecological imbalance
Builders do have a huge role to play, but it is also important that buyers are extra cautious and conscious while buying property. Most unethical developers will continue to build on encroached ecological sites and a repeat of the present monsoon situation can be expected for years to come. Arun Krishnamurthy, Founder, Environmentalist Foundation of India, is of the strong opinion that reclaiming marshlands and water bodies is definitely not the ethical thing to do.
“We need to understand our city’s ecology and topography. As all neighbourhoods seem flat, we are clueless about the water flow in these regions. Only during the monsoon we realise that we have converted watershed areas into commercial zones.” A deeper understanding of the terrain is required.
Even massive infrastructure projects such as the MRTS have encroached on water bodies.
The South Buckingham Canal from Adyar creek to Kovalam creek has been reduced in many places to make way for the project. Ideally, before undertaking any such large-scale infrastructure project, the government should have studied the impact of such construction on the city’s sub-structures.
The Cooum River, for instance, has been a topic of discussion for years, and bringing back its pristine charm is an uphill but achievable task. Shankar of IIA says, “Worldwide, water bodies are respected and looked at as the natural lung spaces of a city. We borrow so many Western concepts that are out of sync with our culture, but why not adapt the good ideas?”
