Chennai
The union government’s decision to financially assist the states to set up smart cities is expected to give a fresh lease of life to Tamil Nadu’s efforts to establish a satellite township on the outskirts of Chennai, at Thirumazhisai in Tiruvallur district. The central government’s plan is to develop new satellite towns around larger cities and modernise existing mid-sized cities with better infrastructure. A senior of ficial in the housing ministry said the state government had not pitched for promoting any particular area under the central scheme so far.
“However, projects like the Thirumazhisai satellite township, would qualify for the same,“ said the official. The satellite township project at Thirumazhisai, announced three years ago, is stuck owing to opposition from farmers, who have been asking for higher compensation for the land acquired from them. Some are totally opposed to giving up agricultural land for other activities. Though the government has acquired more than 300 acres out of the 311 acres required for the project, farmers have taken back much of this land and have started cultivation there. Many have moved to courts and what is left with the government is only 138 acres.
Meanwhile, the state government, said Anna University had been engaged to prepare an infrastructure design for an approach road to the township. The Tamil Nadu Housing Board has allocated Rs 9.52 crores for the initial land preparation. Ponneri in north Chennai, will also be developed as a township as the central government has announced that it will be promoted as an industrial smart city . The proposed industrial corridor connecting Chennai and Chitradurga via Bangalore cuts across Ponneri.
Chairman and country head of JLL India, Anuj Puri, said creation of smart cities, for which the union government has allocated Rs 7,060 crores, would have positive implications for real estate across all segments residential, commercial, retail and hospitality . “Smart cities, by definition, imply considerable demand for technology-enabled services, and this is a big positive for IT/ITeS companies in India. Significantly, as much as one-third of the country’s demand for office space emanates from this sector,“ Puri said.
Source: Times Property, The Times of India, Chennai