CHENNAI: To accelerate urban growth, modernise planning approvals, and provide secure housing for low-income families, the Housing and Urban Development Department has been allotted Rs 8,852 crore in the budget.
Key highlights include the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) formulating its Third Master Plan, the introduction of an AI-enabled online approval platform named SPEED (Single Platform for Efficient Expedited Development), and the launch of the MY-HOME (Metropolitan Youth and Family Housing Scheme) aiming for 1 lakh housing units over seven years.
To guide growth across the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), the CMDA is formulating the Third Master Plan (2027–2046) covering 1,189 sq km. The government is also preparing a Comprehensive Master Plan for the expanded CMA, spanning 5,904 sq km, with Rs 25 crore earmarked for implementation.
To eliminate delays and improve transparency in planning permissions and building approvals, an AI-enabled online platform called SPEED is being introduced with a project allocation of Rs 40 crore. SPEED will integrate all planning agencies onto a single platform to deliver timely, seamless approvals statewide. Currently, planning permissions for plots and buildings in Tamil Nadu are granted across multiple authorities, including the CMDA, the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), and various local bodies.
To ease urbanisation pressures and improve living conditions for the urban poor, the government will complete 24,131 multi-storey tenements currently under construction this year. Construction will also begin on another 14,194 units, supported by an allocation of Rs 1,253 crore.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board is launching a pilot initiative in the CMA titled MY-HOME. Designed to ensure safe, dignified housing for low-income families and young professionals, the scheme targets 1 lakh housing units over the next seven years.
It is projected to attract around Rs 15,000 crore in private investment through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), backed by Rs 3,500 crore in Viability Gap Funding (VGF) via the Tamil Nadu Shelter Fund. By leveraging private capital, state funds, and an innovative Digital Rental Voucher system, MY-HOME aims to offer affordable, dignified housing across income levels, positioning the CMA as an inclusive region with a high quality of life.
Rs 8,852 cr
Allocation for urban development, master planning, and housing initiatives across Tamil Nadu
AI-Powered SPEED Platform: Rs 40 cr allocated for a single-window system to integrate CMDA, DTCP, and local body approvals
1,00,000
Housing units under MY-HOME scheme targeting low-income families and young professionals with Rs 15,000 cr in private PPP investment