The Hindu 07.12.2011
Focus on Greater Coimbatore Development Authority
The CII and ICCI submit demands to the State Government
PLANNING GROWTH: Greater Coimbatore Development Authority will plan
growth, execute the plan, and enforce the development rules. — File
photo: K. Ananthan
For a city that is often referred to as the second most
important in the State, next only to Chennai, development does not seem
to be happening on the desired lines in Coimbatore.
The
city has hardly attracted any large-scale industrial investment in the
recent years and those trying to invest here are discouraged by the
delays in approvals and lack of adequate facilities. Thus, the industry
here has turned its focus on the need for a Greater Coimbatore
Development Authority, on the lines of Chennai Metropolitan Development
Authority.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
and the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Coimbatore,
have submitted their demand to the State Government.
Chamber
president M. Krishnan said Coimbatore needed the authority for planned
growth. Investors would have to look at Coimbatore as Chennai would not
be able to take all the investments. If the growth here was not planned,
it would cause inconveniences to the public in their daily activities,
such as transport.
Several industries were reluctant
to invest in Coimbatore as their employees and shop floor workers would
require affordable housing, more number of schools and entertainment
options. These would take time to develop. “However, we need to create a
system that will facilitate this development,” he said.
Chairman
of CII, Coimbatore, Ravi Sam said the authority would reduce the time
taken now to grant building plan approvals. With faster approvals,
development would also be on a fast track. “I think Coimbatore needs to
develop faster,” he said.
Now, the Corporation
granted approvals for residential buildings up to 4,000 sq.ft. and
commercial buildings up to 2,000 sq.ft. The Local Planning Authority had
the powers to approve buildings up to 25,000 sq.ft. built up area each.
In the case of school or industrial buildings, it could approve plans
for ground plus one floor, irrespective of the area. Building plans in
all other categories were now referred to Chennai for approval.
Formation
of Greater Coimbatore Development Authority would expedite the approval
process as it would have the powers to approve all building plans here.
There was a proposal earlier to bring Coimbatore and Tirupur under a
common authority, according to an official here.
Mr.
Krishnan said the existing manpower of the Local Planning Authority
here was inadequate to fulfil the functions of planning, implementation,
enforcement and plan approval process. Thus, hardly any planning
activity was taken up in Coimbatore. The city was developing and should
plan for the future, implement the plans to achieve the desired pattern
of urban development, co-ordinate with various agencies to implement the
designated projects, control and regulate development, and promote
better living conditions. These would be possible with the formation of a
Greater Coimbatore Development Authority, he said.