Chennai’s Third Master Plan Aims for Sustainable and Integrated Urban Growth

Chennai’s urban future is taking a transformative turn with the launch of its third master plan, designed to promote sustainable, inclusive, and transit-oriented development. The plan, developed by integrating insights from more than 25 studies, focuses on strengthening the city’s economy, housing, transportation, environment, and technology sectors.

At the inauguration of the Tamil Nadu Land Use 2025 international conference, former CMDA member-secretary and current AIIMS additional director Anshul Mishra highlighted that Chennai’s third master plan must go beyond traditional land use. He emphasized that it should incorporate economic planning, industrial cluster mapping, and labour catchment areas to balance growth and employment across the metropolitan region.

Mishra added that the new plan aims to reduce commute times and carbon emissions through transit-oriented development along metro, road, and suburban corridors. “It is not urbanisation that causes environmental degradation, but the lack of proper planning,” he noted, stressing the need to identify and preserve the city’s blue-green assets—its water bodies and green cover.

The Chennai Metropolitan Area, which has a population of around 1.15 crore, has seen an increase of nearly 12% in commute time since 2019, while public transport usage remains below 30%. Mishra cited examples from Ahmedabad and Pune, where integrated development along the bus rapid transit and metro corridors successfully reduced per-capita energy demand by 22% and greenhouse gas emissions by 26%. He suggested rationalizing the Floor Space Index (FSI) for industries to enhance productivity and reduce urban sprawl.

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, who inaugurated the two-day event, said the government is committed to making the state a national hub for research and development (R&D). He emphasized that aligning industrial, housing, and infrastructure policies with environmental sustainability will be crucial for Chennai’s long-term growth.

The upcoming master plan is expected to serve as a blueprint for balanced urban expansion, addressing Chennai’s rapid growth while ensuring economic vitality, livability, and environmental responsibility.