Draft regional plans ready for Madurai, Nilgiris

CHENNAI: Madurai and Nilgiris regions will soon have regional plans as the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has completed draft plans and submitted them to the State government for its approval before seeking public opinion.

Aimed to ensure concerted development in various regions of Tamil Nadu, DTCP has commenced works to prepare regional plans for 10 regions covering around 1.20 lakh sqkm.

“The draft regional plan report for the Madurai region consisting of Madurai, Theni and Dindigul districts funded by the Asian Development Bank and draft regional plan for The Nilgiris is in the stage of obtaining government consent for publication, and calling for objections and suggestions,” stated the department’s policy note, which was tabled in the Assembly recently.

The document added that the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal had prepared the draft regional plan for the Coimbatore region which is on the verge of completion. The regional plan for Vellore, Villupuram, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Salem and Sivaganga region are in various stages of preparation. The regional plan for Madurai, Theni and Dindigul will cover 12,614 sqkm, and for The Nilgiris, it will be 2,565 sqkm.

Regional planning is a strategic approach to create a coordinated development plan that promotes balanced growth and sustainability across the region while considering the needs of a wider geographic area beyond individual cities, taking into account factors like land use, transportation networks, environmental concerns and social dynamics across multiple jurisdictions. “Essentially, it looks at urban development not just within city boundaries but also in relation to its surrounding towns and rural areas, aiming to optimise resource allocation and manage inter-city relationships effectively,” the document added.

Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Tiruvannamalai will cover 12,263 sqkm. Salem, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, and Dharmapuri will cover 18,283 sqkm. Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi will cover 10,897 sqkm. Coimbatore, Erode, and Tirupur will cover 15,679 sqkm.

Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Karur, Perambalur, and Pudukkottai will cover 15,753 sqkm. Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai will cover 8,254 sqkm respectively. Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, and Virudhunagar will cover 13,578 sqkm and Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari will cover 13,122 sqkm.

In addition to preparing regional plans for various regions, the DTCP is also in the process of preparing comprehensive master plans for major cities to cover the city boundaries. Among the 6 cities such as Hosur, Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Tiruchy and Tirupur, the Hosur Master Plan has been approved and the draft Master Plans for Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Tiruchy, and Tirupur have been submitted for government consent.

Similarly, the DTCP has proposed to prepare 50 more GIS-based Master Plans for emerging urban centres. These Master Plans have been categorized into 9 packages, and will be taken up in a phased manner. Eight hill areas such as, Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudalur, and Nelliyalam in The Nilgiris, Valparai in Coimbatore, Kodaikanal in Dindigul, and Yercaud in Salem, covering 1,200.13 sqkm will have dedicated hill area master plans.

“This initiative aims to promote planned growth with a special focus on ecological conservation, disaster management and preparedness, promotion of tourism, and sustainable development,” the note said.

REGION PLAN COVERAGE (SQKM)

Vellore 12,263

Salem 18,283

Villupuram 10,897

Coimbatore 15,679

The Nilgiris 2,565

Tiruchy 15,753

Thanjavur 8,254

Madurai 12,614

Sivaganga 12,578

Tirunelveli 13,122