50 per cent of population struggle to eke out a living in Chennai

Chennai:

Rise in population and a phenomenal growth of the city have stressed Chennai’s infrastructure to the maximum and there is an immediate need for a state urbanization policy incorporating policies on habitat and housing, according to an expert.



Delivering a special address on “Namma Chennai-Ezhilmighu Chennai’ organized by Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Tuesday, former chief urban planner of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority said that the population of Chennai is expected to be 200 lakh in the next 15 years and there is an immediate need to raise the quality of living for 50 per cent of the low and medium income families.



“There is acute shortage of affordable housing, adding to the already grim slum situation, he said adding that integrated townships is the need of the hour rather than transporting the slumdwellers into integrated communities or ghettos,” said Dattatri.



He also said that the need of the hour is green strategies for city’s infrastructure. Highlighting the need for regional plans, Dattatri also stressed the need for pilot area plans for two neighbourhoods in collaboration with CMDA and city corporation besides residents associations.



Urging FICCI to take up these initiatives at the government level, he also stressed the need for improvement in sanitation and basic facilities in corporation schools and health centresin collaboration with corporation and civil society.



He said the adjoining districts of Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur are becoming highly urbanized and the urban population of the three cities is 96.51 lakh as per recent census. And major concern is the rise in vehicular population. Car ownership has risen from two lakh to four lakh while two-wheelers rose from four lakh to 16 lakh stressing the city’s infrastructure to maximum.



Dattatri also said most of the arterial roads are congested with traffic and lanes full of parked vehicles besides more areas are becoming flood prone as paved areas have increased and major drainage assets – Cooum, Adyar, Buckingham canal are silted.



He stressed the need for spatial planning at different levels saying it is key instrument for establishing long-term economic, social and environmentally sustainable development. “Such plans will enhance integration of sectors – housing, transport, energy, employment and limit impact of natural and man-made disasters,” Dattatri said.



Some of the key issues faced by Chennaittes

1.   Rising population and acute shortage of affordable housing

2.   Rising vehicle population resulting in congestion of roads and lanes full of parked vehicles

3.   More areas becoming flood prone as paved areas have increased and drainage outlets silted

4.   Generation of waste has gone up with rise in medical, hazardous and e-wastes

5.   Potable water quality poor due to breakage in sewerage and storm water drains

6.   Parks and open spaces are disappearing

7.   Tree covers are dwindling fast

8. Gross deficiencies in schools, health centers where basic facilities are missing.