TOD scheme to be extended across TN

CHENNAI: Even though the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) scheme was announced only for the city in the previous State budget session in the Assembly, the Housing and Urban Development department has decided to extend the scheme to all cities in the State.

An official with the CMDA privy to the development confirmed that the planning authority has sent a proposal about it to all the cities.

“The idea is to allow high-rise buildings by increasing FSI along the roads that are above 30 feet wide across the State. Another proposal has been sent to the government to amend the TN Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, to facilitate the FSI increase along the corridors,” the official said.

As per the scheme, FSI will be increased in the areas up to 500 metres on either side of the Metro corridors, MRTS corridors, suburban corridors and major arterial roads. The government expects that the TOD could increase public transportation and control private vehicles as people will live close to transit stations.

When asked the rationale behind allowing high-rise buildings, that would strain infrastructure, the official explained that across the world, densification has given positive results than urban sprawl (horizontal growth).

“High-rise buildings can provide housing to more people, who’d build houses at the outskirts of the city, which increases commute time to work, apart from causing traffic congestion and pollution. If people are given housing inside the cities, converting agricultural lands and water bodies outside can be avoided,” he explained.

The official cited Toronto in Canada as example, where densification create more green space to prevent any haphazard development.