G. Dattatri, the first chief urban planner of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), died here on Wednesday. He was 82.
Mr. Dattatri played a key role in the preparation of the first and second master plans for Chennai. Apart from his passion for urban planning, he also had a deep commitment towards the environment. He was involved in several initiatives including SUSTAIN and Nizhal .
“He was a pioneer in bringing World Bank schemes to Chennai and played a role in the development of areas such as Arumbakkam, Mogappair and Villivakkam,” said S. Santhanam, member-chief urban planner, CMDA.
He started his career as a town planning officer at the Udagamandalam municipal office. He was a recipient of the United Nations Habitat award at Nairobi (Scroll of Honour). He was a United Nations Advisor at the Urban Development Authority, Colombo for four years. He was Associate Professor, at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of Madras and a visiting professor at Anna University till his demise. He is survived by three sons and a daughter
