The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is conducting roughly 15 studies, which are expected to be completed by November, for a Third Master Plan (TMP) for the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA).
The CMDA is in the process of preparing the plan for the CMA, which spans 1,189 sq.km. The State government had previously issued an order for the expansion of jurisdiction of the CMDA from 1,189 sq.km. to 5,904 sq.km. The Third Master Plan will be prepared for the existing 1,189 sq.km and, for the rest, a Regional Strategic Plan will be prepared, besides a Master Plan for satellite towns/growth centres such as Thirumazhisai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Minjur, and Tiruvallur.
According to officials, economics will take centre stage in the new plan, with the CMDA focusing on identifying priority areas and investment zones, not only in commercial sectors but also in various other industries, in addition to improving amenities. For this, the Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS) has been roped in to conduct a spatial distribution analysis concerning employment and income categories.
The authority will take stock of the requirements based on a study called ‘Formulation of Comprehensive Flood Control Master Plan in Urbanized River Basins in Chennai’, conducted jointly by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
The implementing agencies will be the CMDA, GCC, Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (DRRA) and Water Resources Department (WRD). “In this, JICA will map the contours of terrain and runoff, emphasising buffer zones for waterbodies,” an official said.
The CMDA is also studying the blue-green infrastructure (BGI) in the city for urban environment management, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptations, and, mainly, urban flood resilience. CMDA officials said remedial measures in inundation-prone areas, such as Velachery, in the last few years had yielded good results, and they anticipated similar outcomes in Perumbakkam.
