Real estate developers in Chennai have urgently appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to intervene and prevent the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) from implementing its controversial grid of roads plan without an official government order. The industry representatives have raised serious concerns about the unauthorized enforcement of this scheme that they claim is causing widespread disruption in the real estate sector.
Formal Protest Lodged with State Administration
In a significant development, the real estate sector has formally communicated their grievances to Chief Secretary N Muruganandam through a detailed letter. The communication highlights that certain CMDA officials have been applying the grid layout framework while processing planning permission and development applications, despite the absence of statutory approval for this scheme.
S Sridharan, an executive committee member of CREDAI National, articulated the industry's position clearly. "We have represented this to the government as the scheme is erroneous. The proposed grid of roads cuts through already approved buildings, and the entire plan needs to be reworked. CMDA has been implementing it without statutory approval, putting several projects on hold and causing great hardship to developers and the public," he stated.
Practical Challenges and Implementation Issues
The real estate developers have identified multiple practical problems with the current implementation approach. Numerous projects that fully comply with the existing master plan regulations are now facing additional requirements stemming from the yet-to-be-formally-notified grid framework. This regulatory uncertainty has resulted in approval processes being stalled for more than twelve months in many cases.
Industry representatives have raised alarming concerns about the proposed grid alignment passing directly through approved residential layouts and even completed buildings. The letter to the government further emphasized that certain existing roads and gifted roads have been completely overlooked in the new grid plan, creating what developers describe as a "technically flawed and impractical" layout that lacks formal authority.
S Ramprabhu, chairman of the DTCP panel at the Builders Association of India, provided specific insights into the road expansion aspect. "During road expansion projects, the government typically acquires equal portions of land from both sides of the existing road. We are prepared to provide that land—it often results in better Floor Space Index and wider roads—but this process must be executed through a proper government order," he explained.
Confusion and Lack of Transparency
The absence of official documentation and formal notification has created significant confusion among developers and property owners. Since the grid plan has not been officially announced or made publicly accessible, stakeholders cannot adequately plan their projects or understand the exact implications for their properties.
The real estate industry has collectively requested the state government to direct CMDA to immediately suspend enforcement of the grid plan until a comprehensive study is conducted, proper stakeholder consultations are completed, and an official government order or notification is formally issued.
However, in what appears to be a positive development, a housing department official indicated that CMDA officers have already received instructions not to enforce the grid plan until it is formally notified. "The notification will be part of the third master plan. This is an old issue that has been addressed," the official stated, suggesting that the matter might be moving toward resolution.
