Planners express concern over lack of staff in DTCP

Chennai:

Planners have expressed concern over the lack of three layers of top officials in the directorate of town and country planning and urged the state government to use the expertise of experienced hands in Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.

Institute of Town Planners India, (ITPI) and Association of Professional Town Planners said that it is a matter of great concern that the directorate did not fill the sanctioned posts of additional director, joint directors and deputy directors for more than six months.

ITPI treasurer Balasubramanian said that the posts are vacant at a time when the directorate is preparing Master Plan for non plan areas worth 8,000 square km besides master plan and Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation study for Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Madurai and Trichirapalli corporations.

 He said the need of the hour is to utilize the services of experienced planners in CMDA instead of trying to promote or use the services of DTCP planners who hardly have five years of experience in preparing masterplan for Coimbatore and Madurai.

He said the existing officers (chief planners or senior planners) in CMDA could be sent on a deputation basis or shifted to DTCP to prepare the master plan, New town,  land pooling, detailed development plan and regional plan. Meanwhile, the lower level vacancies in CMDA with town planning qualification in the department may be promoted or the vacancies could be filled with adequate qualifications.

ITPI claimed there are only five qualified planners while the rest are diploma holders or graduates. “Qualifications should not be relaxed to appoint planners either in DTCP or CMDA as this will be detrimental to planning. Graduates would shy to take up town and country planning courses,” he added. He also said that diploma holders and BE should not be given plum posts by relaxing the qualifications. Work experience could be relaxed for those having planning qualification in department service.

 Balasubramanian said that CMDA has five chief planners and seven senior planners. “Many of them are wasted on area plans and giving approvals,” he said. “Their services are not used for qualitative work. For example a chief planner services could be used for policy level planning or preparation of New Town and Regional Planning” he added.

Association of Professional Town Planners president K M Sadanandh said that DTCP could also take the expertise of town planning associations following the shortfall of officials in DTCP. “We are going to urge the chief minister to look into the issue as this is crucial for helping realize the Vision 2023,” he added. Balasubramanian said that they have petitioned the state government several times earlier also regarding the shortfall of officials in DTCP. Interestingly, DTCP has a total strength of 801 officials but is currently functioning with only 411 (42 per cent) officials.

Government should relax the service rules to enable officials from CMDA to work on deputation in DTCP on an urgency basis as top three layers of posts are empty, the associations added. Justice Mohan committee also has recommended for creation of new urban development authorities in Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore and now with lack of planners, this seems a distant reality, the associations added.