Housing and Urban Development Department, New Announcements 2015-2016

What the document covers

The Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development Department's New Announcements for 2015-2016 contain seven government proposals. Property owners and professionals are most likely to be affected by the proposed expansion or creation of local planning bodies, although the document provides no boundaries, survey numbers or property-specific decisions.

Planning area changes

• The Villupuram and Kumbakonam composite local planning bodies will be expanded by adding surrounding areas. The stated purpose is to plan and regulate the growth of these expanding towns.
• Nelliyalam Second Grade Municipality will be declared a separate local planning body. The document cites its growing importance as a tourist destination and notes that other municipalities in the state have already been declared as local planning bodies.
• The document does not identify the surrounding areas to be added to Villupuram or Kumbakonam. It also does not describe approval procedures or impose a stated obligation on individual landowners.

Housing and urban improvements

• A transit housing project will provide temporary accommodation for Tamil Nadu government employees living in government quarters that are dilapidated and due for demolition. The proposal is for 170 flats near Barracks Road, Purasawalkam, at an estimated cost of Rs.39.31 crore.
• Urban local bodies will receive traffic improvement grants. Municipal corporations may receive Rs.1 crore each, and municipalities may receive up to Rs.50 lakh each, with a total of Rs.5 crore from the Town and Country Planning Development Fund during the financial year.
• The park improvement grant is increased from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.15 lakh. Up to Rs.15 lakh each will be provided for 30 parks, with a total allocation of Rs.4.50 crore during the financial year.

Administration and heritage protection

• Five new vehicles will be purchased during the financial year for Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority field officers, up to the level of Deputy Planner. Vehicles are intended to support planning, approvals, enforcement, coordination, development projects and property management.
• Six heritage cities may each receive grants of up to Rs.1 crore from the Town and Country Planning Development Fund to protect their cultural, religious, artistic and architectural heritage.