Chennai into a satellite city

Deputy CM M K Stalin kindled a fresh hope for transforming Chennai into a satellite city when he said on Wednesday, “I will shoulder full responsibility to ensure that the model city becomes a reality.” The minister was responding to Kanchee puram Lok Sabha member Viswanathan’s plea that the present government should make efforts to make the satellite city, proposed along the OMR.

The new city will not only help de-congest Chennai, it will also enable the, which is fast turning out to be one of the world’s prominent industrial, IT and telecommunication manufacturing hub, to attract further investments from global multinationals.

According to Census 2001, Chennai city had a population of 43.43 lakh people, while Chennai metropolitan area accounted for a population of 70.4 lakh. As per estimates, over the next 20 years, the population in Chennai city is likely to touch 58.5 lakh while that of Chennai metropolitan 1.26 crore. The present density of population is estimated at 28,125 people per sq km. This has forced Chennai to join the list of densely populated cities.

the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has undertaken a study and surveyed 1.4 lakh acres. Of this, 30,000 acres has been tentatively identified for establishing the new city. 13,000 households live in the tentatively identified area of 270 sqkm. They will not be displaced. Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi said “The area is also bereft of any pollution even while retaining a good environment, which makes it an ideal location for establishing a new city.”