The New Town Development Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area (Preparation, Publication and Sanction) Rules, 2022

What the rules govern

The New Town Development Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area (Preparation, Publication and Sanction) Rules, 2022 apply to an area declared as a New Town Planning Area. They assign planning responsibilities to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and establish deadlines and procedures for preparing, publishing, approving, varying or revoking a New Town Development Plan.

Land and building use maps

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority must prepare or adopt a land and building use map within twelve months of the declaration of the site for a new town, or within further time permitted by the Government. The map must cover the New Town Area as a whole at a scale of at least 1:20,000, with divisions, wards or blocks mapped at a scale of at least 1:4,000.

The map must show predominant uses, including:

• Residential, commercial and industrial uses.
• Public and semi-public uses.
• Transport, services and utilities.
• Open space, recreation and agriculture.
• Non-urban and other uses, including undeveloped areas, water bodies, waste land and rocky land.

The map must use a Geographical Information System platform or another geo-referenced digital platform.

Preparing the development plan

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority must consult local authorities and prepare the New Town Development Plan within twelve months after preparing the land and building use map, unless the Government allows more time. A local authority has sixty days after receiving an intimation to submit suggestions.

The plan may address transit oriented development, road grids, land pooling, redevelopment, form based codes, drainage, flood and climate hazard mapping, disaster management, eco-sensitive areas, blue-green infrastructure, pollution, tourism, waterfronts, water resources, solid waste, heritage conservation, accessibility and coordinated infrastructure planning.

Public participation and approval

After government consent, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority must publish notice within fifteen days and allow affected or interested persons sixty days to submit written objections or suggestions. Anyone who asks to be heard must receive a reasonable opportunity before the Authority considers the responses and approves the plan, with or without changes.

Notices must be republished through the relevant District Gazette, official notice boards, English and Tamil daily newspapers circulating locally, and the Authority's official website. The approved plan is then submitted to the Government, which may approve it, modify it, return it for changes or direct preparation of a fresh plan.