Base-map submission delays AMRUT scheme

Preparation of GIS-based master plans for Tamil Nadu towns selected under central government’s AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) has hit a roadblock as the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) is delaying the submission of base-maps of the towns.

According to a Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) official, base-maps are pre-requisite in preparing the GIS-based master plans. “NRSC, which functions under the purview of ISRO, has satellite pictures of many towns and cities. They have to process the pictures and prepare base-maps of the selected towns, on which we could develop the GIS-based maps and master plans,” the official said.

AMRUT is a central government scheme that envisages improving infrastructure and planned developments in the selected cities. In Tamil Nadu, 32 cities and towns such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Salem, Tirunelveli, Ambattur, Tiruppur, Avadi, Tiruvottiyur, Thoothukudi, Nagercoil, Thanjavur, Pallavaram, Dindigul, Vellore, Tambaram, Cuddalore, Alandur, Kancheepuram, Erode, Tiruvannamalai, Kumbakonam, Rajapalayam, Kurichi, Madavaram, Pudukottai, Hosur, Ambur, Karaikudi, Nagapattinam and Velankanni were selected under the scheme.

“Of the 32 towns, the government has entrusted the work of preparing master plans to 25 towns to DTCP. Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) had already prepared master plans for seven towns in Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA),” theofficial added.

DTCP had already prepared GIS-based master plans for Madurai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Hosur and Kurichi (near Coimbatore) before the announcement of AMRUT scheme and the planning authority has to prepare master plans for other 18 towns. Even though the DTCP requested the NRSC to provide base-maps for the 18 towns, NRSC had provided base-map for Thoothukudi only. “They promised us to provide maps for another 4 towns before February 28, but they didn’t. We could not start our work without base-maps,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DTCP has floated tenders inviting private consultants to prepare the GIS-based master plans in five packages. The official said that the package containing Nagapattinam (with Velankanni), Kancheepuram and Cuddalore has been given to the Anna University. The package comprising Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ambur and Salem has been given to WAPCOS (Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited), a public sector unit of the central government. “As we could not strike a deal with private consultants, we are going to prepare master plans for Dindugal, Karaikudi and Rajapalayam towns ourselves. Private consultants will prepare the master plans for other two packages comprising Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Kumbakonam, Tirunelveli, Nagarkoil, Rameswaram and Thoothukudi. The central government is providing Rs 75 lakh per city for the preparation of master plans,” the official explained. According to the official, GIS master plans would be useful for the effective town planning and maintenance of civic infrastructures.

The central government has allocated Rs 11,441 crore for the cities selected under the AMRUT scheme in Tamil Nadu. “We have taken 18 drinking water projects at a cost of Rs 6,496 crore and 18 underground sewer projects at a cost of Rs 4,713 crore. Apart from this, Rs 232 crore is being used for parks,” according to the government data. While the master plan preparation is entrusted upon DTCP, the municipal administration and water supply department is doing infrastructure works. “Tamil Nadu is ranked 14th in the country with 40.81 points as per the implementation of the projects concerned,” an official said.