CHENNAI : The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) should revise the second master plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area taking into account the needs of its citizens, urban planners and activists have urged.

The planning body should seize the opportunity offered by the state government direction to revise the plan to incorporate provisions to protect as well as manage the city's environmental and other resources.

In a memorandum submitted to CMDA by Citizens Alliance for Sustainable Living (SUSTAIN), the Alliance listed a series of recommendations covering Chennai's coastline to re-vitalisation of the northern suburbs.

They include setting up guidelines for protection and rehabilitation of Chennai's long coastline, five reservoirs, four rivers, water bodies, wetlands of Pallikaranai and reserved forests.

Recommendations

According to SUSTAIN, an integrated water resource management dealing with recovery, recharge and storage of waters in the plan would help resolve the city's water shortage and frequent flooding.

Another recommendation is to keep the housing needs of low income groups in mind while drawing up land and building development regulations, particularly along the western and southern corridors.

The plan, activists say, should spell out the modalities of public transport and integration of rail, road and other networks.

An integrated traffic and transportation plan with emphasis on promoting pavements and cycle tracks should be part of the plan.

The master plan should also include an economic strategy to help low income households in sharing the city's prosperity in terms of livelihood and housing.

SUSTAIN also urged CMDA planners to check degradation and resuscitate the historic George Town area and northern suburbs.

The memorandum also urged CMDA to strengthen peri-urban governance by including steps to decentralise water supply, sewerage and other services in the master plan.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu