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The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has released its third master plan, introducing higher Floor Space Index (FSI) allowances near transport corridors to promote vertical, transit-oriented development. This move aims to curb urban sprawl and support compact, sustainable growth across the newly expanded Chennai Metropolitan Area. The plan includes a phased rollout of FSI norms, tied to infrastructure upgrades in roads, water, sewage, and public transit. Built on extensive stakeholder input, it emphasises inclusivity, accountability, and performance monitoring. Key features include TOD zones, walkable neighbourhoods, blue-green infrastructure, and satellite town development-signalling a bold shift toward smarter urban planning and climate resilience.
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has unveiled its much-anticipated third master plan. This new planning framework significantly increases the permissible Floor Space Index (FSI) in select areas, particularly around high-capacity public transport corridors and key arterial routes, to encourage denser, transit-oriented development. Advertisement
As part of the plan, higher FSI allowances are being introduced to enable taller buildings, which would accommodate more housing units, offices, and mixed-use spaces without expanding the city's horizontal footprint. These changes are expected to reduce urban sprawl and promote compact growth models particularly critical given the CMA?s recent expansion.
The proposed roadmap includes a phased rollout of revised FSI norms to ensure that urban infrastructure such as roads, sewage systems, water supply, and public transit is upgraded simultaneously. Officials have stated that the intention is not only to build higher but to build smarter, ensuring civic amenities keep pace with density increases.
The master plan accounts for the recent enlargement of the Chennai Metropolitan Area, which has grown by several thousand square kilometres. This expansion necessitates cohesive land-use planning and improved regional connectivity. According to CMDA officials, the goal is to transform the metropolitan area into a network of self-sufficient, well-connected urban clusters supported by resilient infrastructure and environmental safeguards.
The CMDA?s planning process was built on wide-ranging stakeholder engagement, including over 800 voices from across the public and private sectors. These included representatives from marginalised communities, gender and disability rights groups, environmental experts, and urban planners. Their inputs played a vital role in shaping proposals and highlighted gaps in previous plans such as insufficient monitoring mechanisms and infrastructure that lagged behind policy intent.
Multiple visioning workshops, focus group discussions, and policy roundtables were organised to gather feedback, ensuring a more participatory and inclusive planning process than in the previous two master plans.
A major point raised by stakeholders was the need to clearly define performance indicators and accountability mechanisms. They also questioned the representativeness of the public survey, underlining the importance of post-implementation monitoring and course correction.
The CMDA's plan also puts strong focus on transit-oriented development (TOD), which aims to create high-density, mixed-use neighborhoods centered around public transport hubs. The idea is to reduce the dependency on private vehicles, promote walkability, and bring residences closer to workplaces. This approach is expected to bring both environmental and economic benefits, by cutting commute times and energy use, while supporting the city's decarbonisation goals.
Building on lessons from the earlier master plans, particularly the second, which concentrated on decongesting the core city but fell short on execution, the third master plan introduces a more structured and accountable framework. The integration of blue-green infrastructure, satellite town development, and open-space preservation signals a conscious effort to balance growth with sustainability.
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