2,000-acre global city to rise near Chennai, planners on the fence

Chennai: East Coast Road (ECR) and Bengaluru highway are key contenders for Tamil Nadu's proposed ‘Global City,' a 2,000-acre urban development near Chennai. However, urban planners are divided. Some support this plan but others argue the city should rise near secondary cities with an industrial base.Finance minister Thangam Thennarasu, in the Budget announcement, said urban planning experts suggest developing new integrated cities instead of expanding existing ones in a sporadic manner. Tidco will develop the project's first phase, though the location is yet to be finalized.The proposed city will house IT parks, fintech trade zones, research and development centres, high-tech companies, banking and insurance firms, shopping complexes, trade centres and conference halls. Educational institutions and healthcare centres, both public and private, will be included. Additionally, multi-storeyed residential buildings catering to different income groups, road networks, IT and green energy systems, co-working spaces, urban squares and parks will be developed. Metro extensions, express bus services and proper road networks will be established to ensure seamless connectivity with Chennai.Senior urban planning expert Saswat Bandopadhyay said it must have a commercial or industrial purpose to generate employment rather than serve just administrative functions. "It has to be planned carefully and should be near Chennai to enhance competitiveness. Social infrastructure is also essential; otherwise, the purpose of creating a new city is defeated," he said.However, some planners oppose building the city near Chennai, arguing that the metro is already stretched thin. "Chennai is facing severe issues, including water scarcity, a housing shortage, unhygienic conditions, indiscriminate conversion of agricultural land, encroachment of water bodies and rising crime," said K P Subramanian, former professor of urban engineering at Anna University.He suggested the new city be located near secondary cities such as Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Salem or Tirunelveli. "It is always preferable to develop an existing town rather than start from scratch. The proposed city should have a strong economic base supported by adequate infrastructure, transport connectivity, and social facilities," he added.