The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority will review the Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area’s jurisdiction and send suitable proposals to the government, Slum Clearance and Accommodation Control Minister Suba. Thangavelan informed the Assembly on Wednesday.
Initiating the debate on the demand for grants to the Housing and Urban Development department, the Minister said comprehensive planning and development actions had to be taken to address the growing urban problems of Chennai and make the region an attractive destination for economic development. It had now become necessary to review the Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area, taking into account the developments that were taking place in areas such as Sriperumpudur, Kelambakkam, Singaperumal Koil, Tiruvallur and Ponneri.
Referring to the determination of the present Area in 1973-1974, he said it extended over 1,189 sq. km. Chennai had the least area compared with other metropolitan areas and regions in the country. The figures of the extent of the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Area, Kolkata Metropolitan Development Area, National Capital Region Planning Area, Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Area and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Area were 4,355 sq. km, 1,854 sq. km, 33,578 sq.km, 8,005 sq. km and 6,300 sq. km respectively.
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As for detailed development plans, he told the House that as the Second Master Plan had come into force, it was proposed to proceed further on the preparation of such plans for various planning units in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. In the wake of the government’s recent announcement on the expansion of the limits of Chennai Corporation, a clear policy on the areas to be covered by such plans would be arrived at.