Chapter - V Shelter
Chapter V, Shelter, issued as official guidance by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, describes housing conditions, projected demand and shelter strategies for the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It proposes inclusive housing measures, including reserving and developing 10% of land for Low Income Group and Economically Weaker Section housing in private housing developments on land exceeding one hectare.
What the guidance covers
Chapter V, Shelter, from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority addresses housing needs across the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It treats adequate shelter as including water supply, sanitation and access roads, rather than only land and a building.
The chapter records a housing gap of about 36,000 units in the Chennai Metropolitan Area in 2001. It also identifies concerns involving semi-pucca and kutcha dwellings, one-room homes, pavement dwellers, slums and housing for fishing communities.
Who may be affected
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority's shelter strategies concern public housing agencies, private and corporate builders, landowners developing housing projects, cooperative bodies and households requiring affordable housing. The Tamil Nadu Housing Board and Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board are identified as the principal public sector stakeholders.
Low Income Groups and Economically Weaker Sections are a major focus because they constitute nearly 65% of households. Fishermen are also treated as a special group because their housing needs to remain close to the sea and is affected by Coastal Regulation Zone restrictions.
Key housing proposals
The shelter policies and strategies include:
- Reviewing housing space standards based on land cost, developable land, affordability and land requirements.
- Providing new Low Income Group and Economically Weaker Section housing, and slum rehabilitation, through composite or special neighbourhoods.
- Requiring private housing neighbourhoods and apartment developments on land exceeding one hectare to reserve and develop 10% of the land for Low Income Group or Economically Weaker Section housing.
- Limiting dwelling units under that reservation to 45 square metres.
- Allowing the reserved housing either within the development or at another location within a radius of 2 kilometres.
- Applying Transfer of Development Rights to all types of social housing.
- Locating housing close to employment centres, or encouraging nearby employment where housing is developed farther away.
- Integrating shelter programmes with infrastructure, tenure security, health, education, livelihood opportunities, skill training and microfinance.
- Supporting land pooling, land readjustment and neighbourhood development by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board and Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board.
Housing demand
The Chennai Metropolitan Area's total projected housing demand reaches 1,237,482 units in 2026. The projected annual demand rises from 38,000 units in the first five-year period ending 2006 to 62,000 units in the fifth period ending 2026, while the stated present supply is about 60,000 units per year.
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Common questions
Does a private apartment project have to provide affordable housing?
The guidance states that private housing neighbourhoods and apartment blocks on land exceeding one hectare shall reserve and develop 10% of the land for Low Income Group or Economically Weaker Section housing.
Can the reserved affordable housing be provided outside the development site?
Yes. The guidance allows it within the development or at another location within a radius of 2 kilometres from the site.
Is there a size limit for homes provided under the 10% reservation?
Yes. The dwelling units must not exceed 45 square metres.
Does standard housing under the guidance include basic infrastructure?
Yes. Standard housing includes basic services such as water supply, sanitation and proper access roads.
