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Arakkonam to come under Chennai limits

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The Hindu                   17.04.2013

Arakkonam to come under Chennai limits

The Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) is all set to cover the whole of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts as well as Arakkonam taluk in Vellore district.

Minister for housing and urban development R. Vaithilingam on Tuesday made an announcement on the Chennai Mega Region to this effect.

“A preliminary report to expand the jurisdiction of CMA to 8,878 sq km is being examined by the government,” said Mr. Vaithilingam.

The existing jurisdiction of CMA covering 1,189 sq km in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts was declared in 1973-1974.

“Areas outside the CMA are witnessing rapid development and there is a need to integrate these developments with Chennai,” he added.

Census 2011 data confirms that population growth within Chennai district has slowed, while in the adjacent districts of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, it has increased.

The focus of planned development in the expanded CMA therefore, is likely to be move beyond Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road towards the south.

Satellite Township

The Minister also announced a development plan for the Tiruporur-Maraimalai Nagar Corridor comprising 134 villages covering an area of 562 sq. km. This will involves the preparation of base maps, collection of demographic and social data, a physical survey, preparation of existing land-use maps, analysis of current level of infrastructure facilities, projection of population and future needs and working out spatial strategies.

“The Thirumazhisai Satellite Township scheme will be implemented at the earliest,” said Mr. Vaithilingam. The creation of this township, on the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway, was announced by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in 2011.

The township will come up on 311.05 acres of land, owned by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board. It will include the villages of Chembarambakkam, Kuthambakkam, Parvatharajapuram, Narasingapuram and Vellavedu.

A total of 12,000 flats will be constructed here, and be made available to economically weak sections and to low and middle-income groups.

Reconstruction scheme

The Minister also announced reconstruction schemes in 17 areas within the city. The schemes include the construction of 3,646 flats as part of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Rental Housing Scheme and 2,606 flats under a self-financed scheme at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,740 crore.

Occupants in several existing dilapidated structures have already been asked to vacate. The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board will complete the construction of 16,856 tenements in Chennai at a cost of Rs. 913.60 crore under the JNNURM in 2013-2014.

A socio-economic survey of slums under the Rajiv Awas Yojana is also underway in the city.

The survey is part of a larger scheme to ensure the city is slum-free in the near future.

 

Kancheepuram gets the lion’s share of tenements

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The Hindu                     05.04.2013

Kancheepuram gets the lion’s share of tenements

Special Correspondent

Maximum of 4,454 multi-storeyed houses coming up.

The district of Kancheepuram accounts for a maximum number of 4,454 multi-storeyed tenements as part of the project announced by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the Assembly.

One thousand and five hundred tenements would be built over 22.7 acres in two sites of Kancheepuram (cost: Rs. 303.8 crore) apart from 32 plots to be developed; 344 tenements over 3.9 acres in Coimbatore (Rs.50.16 crore); 468 tenements over 12.15 acres in Erode (Rs.59.27 crore); 120 houses over 36.2 acres in Salem (Rs.13.27 crore); 258 tenements over 10.5 acres in Krishnagiri (Rs. 19.2 crore); 722 houses over 32.5 acres in Virudhunagar (Rs. 73.1 crore); 35 houses over 1.03 acres in Dindigul (Rs.2.68 crore) and 104 tenements and 27 houses over 3.09 acres in Tiruchi (Rs. 25.92 crore).

Chennai would have 844 tenements at a cost of Rs. 371.05 crore.

All these houses, numbering 1,630, and tenements, accounting for 2,792, would come up on lands belonging to the Tamil Nadu Housing Board at a total cost of Rs. 918.45 crore.

Work on the construction, which would begin this year, would be completed in 24 months.

As part of the project of demolishing old tenements built by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board and constructing new tenements, 587 tenements would come up in Tiruchi district under the Tiruchi-Peechankulam scheme; 246 tenements in Coimbatore under Aaduthotti scheme and 117 tenements in Nagapattinam under the Nagai Koodaimudaivor Colony scheme. Besides, 2,550 tenements would be built in Chennai, totalling 3,500 tenements at a cost of Rs. 280 crore, the Chief Minister added.

 

TDR to clear bottlenecks in waterways projects

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The Hindu                     05.04.2013

TDR to clear bottlenecks in waterways projects

Clearing a pathPieces of land owned by private agencies have emerged as hurdles to conservation of waterways —Photo: M. Karunakaran
Clearing a pathPieces of land owned by private agencies have emerged as hurdles to conservation of waterways —Photo: M. Karunakaran.

14 land owners to receive development rights certificate as part of widening of Veerangal Odai.

After roads and metrorail, the development of waterways in the metropolitan area too will benefit from the use of the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR). Residents who lose land for such projects are set to receive development rights certificates that enable the property owner to claim additional built-up area (floor space index) in lieu of the area surrendered to the government agency.

The Water Resources Department has sought TDR from the CMDA for its project to improve Veerangal Odai, a surplus course in south Chennai. TDR has emerged a ray of hope for improvement of waterways affected by rapid urban development in the metropolitan area. Many pieces of land owned by private agencies near major waterways such as Cooum too have emerged as hurdles to conservation of such waterways.

Development rights certificate can be used by owners to transfer development rights to a buyer or to conserve the value of land lost for an urban development project. So far, twelve provisional development rights certificates have been issued by the CMDA for roads and metrorail projects. If site is already developed, irrespective of whether it is an authorised or unauthorised, the part of the land required for public purpose is eligible for the award of the development rights certificates.

The TDR to widen the Veerangal Odai, the first time it is being issued for the development of a waterway in Chennai, was necessitated for completion of a JNNURM project on time. The waterway carries surplus water from Velachery and Adambakkam lakes and also flood water from neighbouring areas. 

After the Highways department had completed land acquisition for the project, it was found that more land was required for the alignment of the canal. At present, flood protection wall along the canal on Pallavaram Thoraipakkam Radial Road has been constructed up to a distance of 7,500 metre. 

“We have requested TDR to complete the JNNURM project in the remaining stretch of 650 metre,” said an official. The canal is being improved to a width of 6- 14 metre wherever possible. 

As the land acquisition exercise has been already completed, further cost cannot be borne by the department, the official said. The process would further delay the project. So, the 14 land owners in the project area would be given TDR. The department requires 2,000 square metres to complete the project this year.

Certificate enables owners to claim additional built-up area for land surrendered.

 


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