Redevelopment of George Town on fast track

“The independent consultants, apart from preparing the redevelopment plan, will also prepare a town planning scheme for suburban areas in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The consultants will assist the CMDA in drafting the plans,” an official said.

The Central government had already sanctioned aboutRs 2 crore under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) to meet the expenses of preparing the redevelopment plan for George Town.

“Under the AMRUT scheme, the Central government has been providing funds to cities to prepare a redevelopment plan or new plan. So, we had written to the government, following which the funds were sanctioned. Apart from the sanctioned funds, remaining expenses will be borne by the CMDA,” the official added.

The CMDA proposed to redevelop the locality after Justice Rajeshwaran Committee, which was appointed to study the George Town area, had identified that more than 99 per cent buildings in the locality are contravening the building norms. Similar proposals for Purasawalkam and Triplicane are being contemplated.

As per the proposal, the CMDA intends to encourage group development in the area. The redevelopment plan would include several incentives to the building owners, who would abide by the plan, which would include FSI relaxation.

Also, the CMDA would not pull all the buildings down in one night but encourage the building owners to abide by the redevelopment plan.

Explaining the reason for the redevelopment plan, the official said that George Town was developed before the town planning rules were framed and the area has an unplanned development. The roads and streets in George Town are too narrow in which even emergency service vehicles including ambulances could not enter.

The redevelopment plan would propose wider roads, public open spaces, better ventilation and other social infrastructural facilities.