Business Line 19.03.2010
A budget by the people
Vision Chennai
We have to consider the outlying regions as the ‘new city'
We will provide for eight-lane expressways and high-speed rail networks
We will ensure the Metro rail is a well-connected, rider friendly facility
We intend to refurbish our existing public spaces, including museums, galleries and auditoriums
Chennai's expansion beyond city limits and the dire need for better public facilities for its residents are the top priorities says V. Ravichandar.
The State Budget is due. Sections of the Finance Minister's speech relating to Chennai city must be in place by now and one fears the usual pronouncements that often don't fructify. This dreamy author embarks on a wishful, fanciful speech about Chennai city that the Finance Minister ought to make.
“Coming to Chennai city, I wish to make a departure from mention of the hundreds of crores in budgetary provisions made for city development across a slew of projects by the Government agencies. Instead, I wish to focus on how we will secure the future of Chennai for generations to come through what we do now. From our forefathers, I have realised the need to have large doses of Vitamin V (Vision). Consequently, you will soon discover that my Government is now thinking differently and thinking big about the future.
Making it liveable
For starters, if Chennai is to be liveable, we have to start thinking about the extended region as the ‘new city'. We will enable a ‘Rurban' (rural and urban) region that extends beyond conventional satellite towns through tax incentives. We endorse the idea of MAP (Marakanom, Arakonam and Pulicat) as the new Rurban region around Chennai. We will provide for eight-lane expressways and high-speed rail networks between the six to eight nodal areas with an enabling regulation for the inclusive development of these areas.
Self-reliance
Chennai is one of the few cities to have a mayor in council. Other States are struggling to make this happen. We intend to go further. With enabling legislation, Chennai has a chance to be self-reliant and access the capital markets with municipal bonds.
In the US, the municipal bond market is over a trillion dollars. Consequently, scarce State resources can be used for rural and underdeveloped regions. Under the JN-NURM reform conditions, we have accepted to bring in the Disclosure law and Citizen Participation by 2013. We have chosen to advance its implementation to the current financial year to bring in greater transparency and more accountability.
Public transport usage
Chennai's infrastructure stress can only be reduced by higher public transport usage. We do not see the Metro rail as just an engineering project. If it is to be a widely-used solution, there is need for feeder buses and world-class pedestrian walkways around the stations. Our Government will make the necessary investments to make this a reality. This is proposed to be funded by allowing premium FARs for high rises in specific central and outer business districts on the Metro route.
We need to utilise our existing assets effectively. We will work towards doubling the usage of the MRTS through a Transit-Oriented Development Plan with mobility hubs. Mylapore, for instance, will have shuttle buses between the MRTS station and the neighbourhood to improve its reach. The city bus system needs to be upgraded. Like in other cities, we will index bus fares with fuel prices and have tiered bus services from air-conditioned low-floor buses to the more traditional buses. Rapid transit using multiple modes with shorter waiting time is our goal.
Pedestrian rights
According to the Chennai Master plan, nearly one in two trips is made on foot, more so by the urban poor. Our Government will move a ‘Right to Walk' legislation which will enable a mission mode approach to build our sidewalks. Green thinking in all our plans is necessary. Cycling tracks will be conceived. Companies will be incentivised to encourage working from home and ‘near home' centres. Property tax credits will be given to households that invest in solar energy. Waste water treatment projects and use of this water for non-consumption purposes will be encouraged. To overcome the reducing green cover, our Government will initiate the planting of a lakh saplings. My government will invest in a state-of-the-art traffic management centre. Driving discipline will be enforced through penalties using detection technology and driver certification. We need someone in charge of all land transit in the city and the UMTA will be empowered for this purpose. Going forward, we will create a robust market for Transferable Development Rights (TDR) since this will allow land aggregation and use for productive purposes.
Land records
Land records are in better shape in our rural areas. Our Government will implement a similar plan for Chennai. This will bring in more transparency on urban land titles, allowing for a latter-day move to guaranteed land titles, more so for slum areas. Through provisioning of medical facilities, schools, drains, power, water and sanitation in poor neighbourhoods, our inclusive growth commitment will be sustained.
A city is finally defined by its community energy, public spaces and its arts and culture scene. Our Music Academy festival is already a seminal event on the social calendar. We intend to refurbish our existing public spaces, including museums, galleries, auditoriums and invest in a few new world-class facilities. Pedestrian plazas the world over are known to be great for business and places of vitality. We intend to pilot one pedestrian plaza in T. Nagar that should demonstrate what is possible if citizens are given the keys to the city!”
Dream over. It is back to urban realities when one visits Chennai next!
(The writer is Chairman, Feedback Consulting, and a Member, Chennai City Connect.)
(The writer is Chairman, Feedback Consulting, and a Member, Chennai City Connect.)
