Demography of the Chennai Metropolitan Area

What the chapter covers

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority uses Census of India data and its own data to describe demographic change across Chennai City, municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats. The Chennai Metropolitan Area population increased from 35.04 lakhs in 1971 to 70.41 lakhs in 2001.

Municipalities and town panchayats grew faster than Chennai City. In 2001, Chennai City had a gross density of 247 persons per hectare, compared with 59 persons per hectare across the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The chapter identifies lower density areas outside the city as potential locations for future residential growth.

Population trends

Key findings include:

• Registered birth, death and natural increase rates in Chennai City declined between 1981 and 2003.
• Migrants from other parts of Tamil Nadu made up 74.49 per cent of Chennai City's migrant population in 2001.
• The share of migrants in the city's total population fell from 37.24 per cent in 1961 to 21.57 per cent in 2001.
• Substantial out-migration from Chennai City was recorded during 1981 to 1991 and 1991 to 2001.
• The chapter links this out-migration partly to conversion of residential premises into offices, shops, hotels and other commercial uses.
• The proportion of children in school age groups declined, while the proportion of older people increased.

Development strategy and property relevance

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority projected a Chennai Metropolitan Area population of 125.82 lakhs in 2026, including 58.56 lakhs in Chennai City. Its proposed responses include:

• Increasing overall metropolitan density to 105 persons per hectare.
• Encouraging high rise development on wider roads and larger plots.
• Allowing multi-storeyed buildings outside Chennai City to support planned development with open space at ground level.
• Allowing higher floor space index for residential development in Mass Rapid Transit System influence areas, particularly for smaller homes.
• Considering wider use of Transfer of Development Rights for land taken for housing and infrastructure.
• Improving roads, water supply, sewerage, rail and road connections in growth areas.
• Supporting satellite towns, new neighbourhoods, affordable housing and social housing.
• Preserving ecologically sensitive areas and creating parks and playgrounds.

The chapter says detailed Development Regulations in Volume II provide for measures including Transfer of Development Rights, additional floor space index for specified purposes and encouragement of green buildings.