The New Indian Express             18.09.2013

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is planning a
grid of roads along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to develop it as a
potential area to absorb the future growth of the city. The authority
has already accorded permission for developmental work along the
Mudichur and Palanthandalam villages.

The plan to have grid of
roads along the ORR is being taken up as a pilot project after Chief
Minister J Jayalalithaa announced in the Assembly that whenever new
roads are planned or upgradation of roads were made, it should be done
in such a way that the adjoining areas witnessed development and that a
grid of roads are evolved.

Even the Second Master Plan has
identified areas along ORR as potential areas to absorb the future
growth. The ORR was evolved as part of the recommendations of First
Master Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area to relieve the traffic
congestion in the city by connecting the National Highway in Chennai
Metropolitan Area. The 62.3-kilometre-long ORR connects NH 45 (GST Road)
at Vandalur, NH 4 (GWT Road) at Nazarathpet, NH 205 (CTH Road) at
Nemilicherry (Thiruninravur), NH 5 (GNT Road) at Nallur and TPP road at
Minjur.

Sources said the area plans unit of the CMDA is currently
receiving planning permission applications for largescale developments
along the ORR.

Currently, action has been initiated to work out
the grid of roads for the area adjoining ORR on the stretch between
Vandalur and Palanthandalam.  CMDA sources said that the proposed road
network suggested for Mudichur and Palanthandalam has already been
approved during the authority meeting. CMDA sources said that the local
bodies in the two villages have been given the sanction to accord
planning permission for development projects in these two villages. “We
have also identified several other villages that come under the first
phase of ORR between Vandalur and Nemilicherry,” said a CMDA source.

Sources
said that Detailed Development Plans (DDP) are also prepared under
Section 27 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act and the maps
prepared showed the ideal use of each piece of land in the area and
guide infrastructure development by various department and agencies.

It
is believed the DDP proposed by CMDA would focus on the grid of roads
aimed at good connectivity to ORR, inter linkages and future
requirements of physical and social infrastructure. The proposal also
comes in the wake of development of a passenger-cum -freight railway
line linking Ennore to Vandalur on the ORR stretch, which planners feel,
would generate interest among the real estate developers. Besides the
State government is also planning a satellite bus terminal in Vandalur.