CUMTA set to prepare new mobility plan for expanded CMA

CHENNAI: Ahead of the government issuing the much-awaited order to expand the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) to 5,904 sq km, the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has taken steps to update the comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) to cover the expanded areas that would include the whole of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur districts.

“The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is in the process of preparing a vision document for the third master plan for CMA and hence the Government of Tamil Nadu intends to update the CMP for the proposed CMA that would address the mobility needs of the people, support the long-term land use objectives of the third master plan and serve as an input to the strategic planning process,” a CUMTA document said.

I Jeyakumar, special officer for CUMTA, said a consultant would be appointed by December or January to prepare the plan, which is expected to be ready in 12 to 18 months. During the process, suggestions would be sought from the Transport Department, Greater Chennai Corporation, CMDA and other government agencies, apart from users’ associations.

It would be prepared in such a way that would ensure integration with the third master plan to be prepared by the CMDA. The updated CMP would be based on green, resilient, inclusive, development-focused and safe (GRIDS) principles and would give priority to the movement of people instead of vehicles, he said. In 2018, the Chennai Metro Rail had prepared a CMP for the next 30 years till 2048. However, it covered only the present CMA spread across 1,189 sq km.

The CMP had envisaged spending Rs 1.61 lakh crore over the plan period to increase public transportation to account for 57 per cent by 2048, while private transportation would be correspondingly reduced to less than 39 per cent.

The government is expected to release the order in a few days, which is a long pending proposal. Earlier, the CMA was proposed to be expanded up to 8,878 sq km but has been reduced to 5,904 sq km after several rounds of stakeholders’ consultation.