Chennai to have neighbourhoods, CMDA to study ‘grid of road’ network

The agency has invited experts to study the feasibility of implementing a ‘grid of road’ network, while prestigious institutions have prepared the detailed project report (DPR) for more than 50 villages already.

According to a CMDA official, the grid of road network project would ease traffic congestion and decrease commute time, two of the most cumbersome issues for city residents in the recent decades. “The concept is to connect various roads to the arterial roads, including Outer Ring Road. GST Road, Trunk Road, Chennai Bypass Road, MTH Road and other roads will also be connected,” the official added.

Explaining the developments planned under the road grid project, the official said that each grid would be like a square, which would contain all the development in that neighbourhood. “The development within the grid has been conceptualised based on the neighbourhood theme. These neighbourhoods will have all the facilities inside,” the official said.

The planning authority has invited experts, including private consultants and educational institutions, to conduct a study and prepare DPR in 143 villages in the city’s suburban areas to implement the project. All the villages are falling under local bodies such as Kundrathur, Tambaram, Poonamallee and Vandalur among others.

It is learnt that the CMDA had completed DPR for as many as 53 villages falling under the project area. “Of the 53 villages, School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, had prepared DPR for 29 villages, while School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, had prepared the detailed plan for 24 villages,” the official explained.

When asked about the rationale behind conducting studies by involving more experts, the official said, “When the studies are conducted by different people, we will get different plans so that we can conceptualise better. The DPRs of 53 villages will be collated with the DPR of 143 villages.”

The official indicated that the project envisages laying several new roads connecting villages and arterial roads. “Apart from laying new roads, existing roads will also be widened or expanded if the grid falls on the particular roads,” the official added.