Chennai opts for commodity-based freight model amid gaps in land-use data

The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is coming up with a new model for freight movement. The model is being developed in conjunction with consultancy firm Ernst & Young (EY). The new model departs from the traditional land-use forecasting and focuses instead on a commodity-based model.

Officials met a serious issue of data gaps in mapping factories, warehouses, and commercial hubs in the metropolitan region. Initially, freight demand was to be made land-use connected using the maps that were prepared by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), but most of the data required to do a full freight forecast were either not complete or simply not there.

At present, the CMDA is preparing the city’s third master plan, which covers 1,189 sq.km under the older metropolitan boundary. But the expanded metropolitan region, which is much larger, has not yet been mapped in detail. Instead, only broad “growth zones” have been identified, which are insufficient for freight demand analysis.

The expanded areas fall under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), further complicating efforts to integrate land-use forecasts. With less than one-fifth of the total metropolitan area mapped by the CMDA, CUMTA officials say the commodity-based approach offers a more immediate and reliable solution.

“Since identifying land use in the expanded zones will take time, we opted for a commodity-based approach. This method projects demand based on cargo volumes, estimating what goods will move and in what quantities, and provides around 75–80% accuracy,” a senior CUMTA official told TNIE.

It is anticipated that the model will give a clearer picture of logistics needs in Chennai, especially with rising freight movements in line with the growth of the manufacturing, retail, and e-commerce sectors. Officials believe that focusing on the types and volumes of commodities expected to move through the city will better inform planning for future transport and infrastructure improvements.

With this move, CUMTA is making a case for wider urban freight streamlining, congestion alleviation, and a stronger logistics network in Chennai, while awaiting completion of an all-encompassing and updated master plan for the metropolitan region.