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How Chennai and Coimbatore City Budgets are Championing Walkable Streets

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For years, major cities in Tamil Nadu have prioritised vehicles through budgetary allocations and infrastructure. This is despite the fact that two-thirds of all trips in the state are made by walking, cycling, or using public transport. This year, however, the tide is turning. The Tamil Nadu Budget 2025 marks a pivotal shift with Chennai and Coimbatore taking the lead, placing Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) —like walking and cycling—at the heart of mobility planning, and reimagining streets as spaces for people, not just cars. What sets this budget apart is not just the scale of funding, but the values it reflects—equity, safety, and access for all. 

While this development is a step in the right direction and is still in its nascent stages, Chennai’s strides towards creating walking and cycling friendly streets echo some of the early moves seen in cities like Singapore. Singapore has long been a role model for Southeast Asia, known for its  integrated public transport and walkable, people-friendly streets, backed by landmark investments like the 1 billion Singapore Dollars’ fund for last-mile connectivity in 2016, and forward-looking policies such as the Active Mobility Act (2017) and Multi-Modal Transport Act (2021). Anchored by the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025, which earmarks significant investments in footpaths, smart parking, and Safe Routes to School pilots, Chennai’s journey could chart a similar course—if implementation keeps pace with vision. 

A Historic Leap for Walkability in Chennai 

A landmark first – ₹200 crore dedicated funding for 170 km of footpaths in Chennai  

This year’s budget has earmarked ₹200 crore for the implementation of 170 km of high-quality footpath in Chennai. This is the largest investment for pedestrian infrastructure in the city to date, and the first time since the Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Policy of 2014 that footpath development has received such focused financial backing. Announced by Hon’ble Minister K.N. Nehru on March 25, 2025, this move is more than just a line item in a budget—it is a powerful reaffirmation of the state’s commitment to safer, more inclusive streets for all, especially vulnerable road users including children, the elderly, and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).  

Chennai’s journey: From marginal to meaningful investments!

Chennai’s journey toward walkable streets began with ambition. Following the adoption of its pioneering Non Motorised Transport Policy in 2014  the city saw average annual footpath investments rise to ₹72 crore, resulting in the creation of over 170 km of footpaths between 2014 and 2019—most of it funded through the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Fund (TURIF). During this time, the city also tapped into the Smart Cities Mission’s Area-Based Development (ABD) funds to implement the now-celebrated Pedestrian Plaza and its feeder streets in T. Nagar.    

Citizens walking safely on Pedestrian Plaza

To scale up its efforts, Chennai launched the Complete Streets program in 2020 (earlier known as “Mega Streets”) with a dedicated ₹100 crore allocation under the Chennai City Partnership with the World Bank. The project aimed to reimagine neighbourhood-level street networks by integrating underground utility upgrades and walk and cycle-friendly above-ground infrastructure. However, the first implementation phase, under progress, covers only around 11 km, leaving behind the demand for a city-wide network of functional footpaths largely unmet.   

Ongoing implementation under the Complete Streets Project at Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam

Analysing the budgetary spending, we found that from 2022 to 2025, Chennai’s investment in footpaths plummeted to just ₹13 crore per year on average. A modest recovery came in FY 2024–25, with ₹25 crore earmarked for 21 km of footpaths, but this was still far from enough to undo years of underinvestment.  

Source: Budget Expenditure categorised by type of work and scheme, FY 2012 – January 2025 (Bus Route Road Department)  

However, our analysis also pointed out that over all these years, road resurfacing and carriageway upgrades continued unhindered, reflecting an annual average spending of ₹84 Crores, and a consistent focus toward vehicle-centric planning.  

Source: Budget Expenditure categorised by type of work and scheme, FY 2012 – January 2025 (Bus Route Road Department)  

A renewed push: Bringing safety and equity to the forefront 

Any policy without dedicated, sustained funding is just a wish. For Chennai to become truly walkable, sustained investment and quality implementation must now follow the city’s renewed aspirations, and 2025 marks a good beginning with this significant dedicated allocation for NMT infrastructure. Analysis of spending patterns on NMT infrastructure over the last three years, reveals that footpath implementation in Chennai relied on piecemeal funding drawn from state and city-level schemes—such as the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Fund (TURIF) and Singara Chennai 2.0. In the absence of a dedicated budget, investments in Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) remained inconsistent and limited in scale. This year’s ₹200 crore commitment by Chennai, marks an eightfold increase over last year’s spending on walking and cycling. This signals a much-needed shift from fragmented support to focused investment.

This renewed focus on walkability couldn’t have come at a more critical time. While Chennai has made commendable progress in reducing overall road crashes, the proportion of pedestrian fatalities has seen a troubling rise from 11% in 2019 to a staggering 43% in 2023.  

Source: Road Accidents Reports (2019-2022), MoRTH & Road Accident Analysis in Tamil Nadu 2023, TNSTC  

This persistent gap between mobility patterns and infrastructure safety highlights the urgent need for course correction, which this budget begins to address. The ₹200 crore allocation is a long-overdue shift toward building streets that are shared public spaces where everyone can move freely and safely. To transform this intent into tangible impact and ensure that the budget is effectively utilised, aligned with diverse mobility initiatives, and executed on time, a dedicated coordinating agency like the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is crucial.  

Bringing It All Together: CUMTA as the institutional backbone  

Much like Singapore’s shift to a car-lite city was steered by its Land Transport Authority through various institutional reforms and proactive policymaking, Chennai’s mobility transition is now gaining momentum through the leadership of the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). With a clear mandate to coordinate mobility efforts across the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), CUMTA is emerging as the anchor institution for Chennai’s people-first mobility vision. 

As part of the Budget 2025, Honourable Minister for Housing & Urban Development, Thiru S. Muthusamy announced an array of progressive initiatives led by CUMTA.  

  • Building on the newly adopted Parking Policy, CUMTA will pilot Smart Parking Management in Anna Nagar, reclaiming public space and improving local access. 
  • CUMTA is also developing Comprehensive Street Design Guidelines for the entire Chennai Metropolitan Area—including Tambaram, Avadi, and Kanchipuram—to create safer, more inclusive streets across jurisdictions.  
  • Complementing this, CUMTA is also drafting the Traffic Impact Assessment Guidelines to help cities manage congestion and ensure new developments align with sustainable transport goals.  

These initiatives go hand-in-hand with Tamil Nadu’s growing investment in Non-Motorised Transport—signalling not just a shift in budget priorities, but a change in how cities are planned and governed. With institutions like CUMTA at the helm, Tamil Nadu is building long-lasting systems to realise its people-first mobility vision. 

Coimbatore Steps Up: Scaling Sustainable Mobility Initiatives 

Building on Chennai’s momentum, Coimbatore is making its own strides towards a more people-centric mobility scenario with this year’s budget embedding sustainable mobility into the city’s planning priorities. Two key initiatives are set to guide this: revising the Coimbatore Street Design Guidelines and developing a comprehensive NMT Action Plan. These tools will help the city set a strong foundation for designing safer, more inclusive streets at scale. 

Coimbatore has been grappling with concerns on road safety, with road fatalities rising over 1000 in 2023; ranking highest in the state. In addition to various other initiatives to address this, a ₹2.5 crore allocation has been announced for a Safe Routes to School pilot on Trichy High Road, covering 2.5 km of critical access routes. Together, these moves reflect Coimbatore’s growing commitment to creating well-planned, safe, walkable streets and mark a step forward in scaling sustainable mobility across Tamil Nadu. 

A Decade of Partnership: ITDP’s Ongoing Commitment 

Since 2009, ITDP in India has worked closely with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), and Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation to help shape their sustainable mobility vision.  

Over the years, ITDP has supported with technical research and guidance on key policies and guidelines adopted by city governments, such as the Non-Motorised Transport Policy, Parking Policy, and the Complete Streets Framework. We are also continuing to help cities build the capacity to implement them through on-ground workshops, experiential street audits, and engagements with city leaders. Our role has also included providing technical support and data-driven insights to guide decision-making and strengthen the case for healthier, more equitable streets. 

We are happy and proud to have contributed to realising these milestones and are extremely grateful for the past and present city leadership for their sustained support in championing these initiatives. 

Capacity Development Workshop for Bus Routes Roads Department in 2024

A Win Worth Celebrating—and Building On 

These announcements are worth celebrating, especially for cities like Chennai and Coimbatore, that are leading this change at the forefront. However, the real measure of success lies in how well we translate this vision and intent into long-lasting impact on the ground. 

Here are a few pointers for the city governments to make this fruitful:  

  • Chennai’s ambitious plan to implement 170 km of footpaths must be guided by a clear network planning strategy and aligned with CUMTA’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan. 
  • Bringing on board qualified technical experts and consultants will be key to ensuring street designs meet the standards laid out in the city’s adopted guidelines. 
  • Facilitating capacity building for contractors and engineers is equally important to ensure high-quality street implementation. Field engineers must closely monitor implementation quality using well-defined performance indicators to ensure accountability at every step.  
  • Cities must also embed Operations & Maintenance (O&M) systems right from the planning stage, to ensure infrastructure remains functional and safe for all users. 
  • Annually recurring budgets for NMT including dedicated budgets for O&M must be institutionalised, so cities can plan consistently and scale.  
  • One persistent challenge our cities face is siloed execution, where lack of co-ordination leads to utility works disrupting newly built footpaths and guidelines/policies exist on paper without enforcement. Addressing this will require strong inter-agency collaboration, clear mandates, and sustained leadership from institutions like CUMTA. 

Chennai and Coimbatore have taken a significant first step. Now, they must stay the course—scaling these successes across other cities of Tamil Nadu, building systems, and creating streets where walking, cycling, and shared mobility are not just possible, but preferred. 

By Varsha Vasuhe, Senior Associate, ITDP India

Edited by Kashmira Dubash, Deputy Director, ITDP India

Parking Reimagined: Chennai’s Parking Policy is Paving the Way for Better Streets

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Commuting in Chennai’s streets often feels like a game of Would You Rather?—except that the choices aren’t fun. 

Would you rather drive in circles for 20 minutes looking for a parking spot, only to settle for an informal parking space with an arbitrary fee? Or walk on the roadside, dodging parked bikes and cars, weaving through traffic, and hoping for a safe path? 

In Chennai, these aren’t just hypothetical scenarios, with a population of 15.37 million and 9.2 million registered vehicles, the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) faces a severe parking crunch as there’s nearly two vehicles for every three people in the city. A driver struggling to park in a narrow lane, while a pedestrian—with an elderly companion or child—undertaking challenging obstacles on a short 500-meter walk, dodging haphazard parking one side and speeding vehicles on another- are common scenes we all encounter. 

Sadly, neither choice makes the city easy to move around and aren’t working for anyone, just like how a would-you-rather game has no correct response. 

But can the new parking policy and on-ground parking management be the answer, that can lead to a win-win situation for everyone using the street?  
 
That’s exactly what Chennai has set course for. This year, the city took a historic step toward better parking management by launching a progressive Parking Policy for the entire 5,904 sq. km of the Chennai Metropolitan Area, which includes four corporations – Chennai, Tambaram, Avadi, Kancheepuram, 12 municipalities, 13 town panchayats, 22 panchayat unions and one special grade town panchayat. The policy was developed by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), which will not only plan, design and strategise, but also oversee its implementation and monitoring. 

Since April 2022, ITDP India has been a key technical partner, supporting CUMTA in shaping this landmark policy.  

Stakeholder Meeting with GCC and GCTP in September 2022

This policy not only addresses the city’s growing parking challenges through area-level parking plans, Travel Demand Management measures, but also brought together key stakeholders—including Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Avadi and Tambaram Corporations, Traffic Police, Highways, and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA)—through extensive consultations. 

CUMTA’s Parking Policy: Transforming Urban Mobility  

CUMTA’s newly adopted Parking Policy 2025 is more than just a set of regulations—it’s a transformative approach to managing limited parking space efficiently, reducing congestion, and improving mobility. Here’s a look at its key highlights of the policy: 

1. Managing parking at the area level and creating neighbourhood wide solutions, to prevent spillovers  

What does the policy say?
With the new policy, Chennai is shifting from scattered parking management in isolated streets, to a structured, Area-Level Parking (ALP) Management plan with demand-based pricing, clear regulations, and smart enforcement. The plan allocates parking spots in every street, based on the demand, and uses both ground teams and technology to manage parking efficiently across the neighbourhood. 

Why is it important? 
Managing parking in a few streets isn’t effective and can make the problem worse by causing spillover and more traffic in the adjoining streets. But when we look at a whole area and its network of streets together, we can address the neighbourhood’s need for parking more effectively. This also ensures that street space is used efficiently and is accessible to all street users. By using a demand-based pricing system, we can discourage unnecessary car/bike use and encourage people to choose more sustainable options, like public transport or cycling. 

Site Visit in Anna Nagar Chennai towards preparation of ALP (CUMTA x ITDP India x Street Matrix)

2. Prioritising Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Public Transport users, Before Parking

What the policy says? 
The policy ensures that the city agencies build safe, continuous footpaths and well-integrated NMT infrastructure. The policy gives precedence to footpath allocation over parking.  The policy ensures that parking space is allocated to a street, only after sufficient footpaths and carriageway space is available.    

Why is it important?
More than 60% of trips starts and ends on foot. Poor footpaths/no footpaths push pedestrians onto carriageways, increasing their exposure to moving vehicles and reducing safety. Presence of NMT infrastructure reduces vehicle dependence, easing parking demand, and optimising street space, ensuring safer, more inclusive streets. This way parking plans will also nudge the city agencies to ensure walkable footpath are available, leading to wider footpath coverage. 

Pedestrian Plaza at T.Nagar with On-Street Parking Management.

3. Demand-Based Dynamic Pricing and Smart Enforcement to Shape People’s Parking Behaviour 

What does the policy say?
Parking rates under the new policy will be dynamic based on the area. It will vary, by vehicle size, location of the parking spot, time of day, and demand. On-street parking will be priced higher than off-street options (government or private MLCPs, parking lots, etc.). This will nudge those wanting to park their vehicles for long term (more than 2 hours) to look for off-street options and allowing the on-street parking lots to be open for short terms users. Prepaid parking will replace postpaid models to encourage planned usage.  
As per the parking policy, enforcement measures will be taken up for the following kind of violations: double parking, parking in no-parking zone, parking on footpath, non-payment of parking fees etc. These violations will be discouraged with the use of technological interventions through sensors, cameras, etc. and on-ground parking teams. 

Why is it important?  
Pricing strategies help manage demand for parking, reduce congestion, and discourage personal vehicle user. Only those willing to pay end up coming in cars and bikes, while the rest may turn to other sustainable options.  
For example, T. Nagar, a bustling commercial area, has a higher parking charge of Rs. 60 per hour for cars, while in other areas, the charge is Rs. 20 per hour.  
In contrast, the proposed parking charges for Anna Nagar are Rs. 40 per hour. These rates have been set based on factors such as, how majority of the people commute while visiting the area, availability of public transport, land use, and considerations for traffic management. 
Enforcement strategies are an important tool for behaviour change. The focus of the policy is to not penalise the violator but discourage the violations. By adding penalties and punitive actions to the violations, people’s parking habits can be modified for the better. 

Comprehensive on-street and off-street parking fee strategy at Pedestrian Plaza at T.Nagar

4. Chennai to take a centralised approach to parking management with a Parking Management Unit (PMU) 

What does the policy say?  
The policy establishes the need for a single authority to manage parking holistically. The Parking Management Unit (PMU) will be this single authority and will function under CUMTA. It will be responsible for planning, pricing, enforcement, and implementation across agencies. 

Why is it important?  
A single authority streamlines decision-making, prevents fragmented implementation across agencies, and ensures consistency in pricing, enforcement, and monitoring. In many other cities, this was a critical reason why parking policies failed to bring the results as expected, as the implementation and enforcement were split among multiple agencies. 

5. Policy allows for Legal & Policy Amendments to other key legislations 

What does the policy say?  
For on-street parking spaces: As per the policy, Traffic Police, Urban Local Body, and Road Owning Agency can pass an official order to delegate parking responsibility and enforcement to CUMTA’s PMU. This will ensure seamless management across agencies.  
For off-street parking spaces: The policy recommends amendments to TNCDBR (Development Control Regulations of TN). This will help redefine how much off-street parking must be made provided in any property development. For example, in areas with high coverage of public transport, the overall number of permissible parking lots is reduced. This follows the concept of parking maximums, to ensure people use the public transport that is easily available and are not dependent on personal vehicles. 

Meeting at CUMTA with CEPT-CRDF (TNCDBR Consultant) in August 2023

Why is it important?
Contextualising the existing legal framework is critical for effective enforcement, regulatory clarity, and integrating parking seamlessly into urban planning frameworks.  As per the current legal framework, the parking management roles are fragmented with Traffic Police and Urban Local Bodies on planning, pricing, implementation and enforcement. The new policy allows CUMTA to take up the responsibility from different agencies and be the sole management unit- through the PMU. 

6. Parking Fee collected from the area to be re-invested back in the area 

What does the policy say?
Surplus parking revenue will be ring-fenced for local improvements, including better footpaths, cycling infrastructure, and public spaces. This approach ensures that the benefits of effective parking management are directly felt by the community, enhancing the quality of life and encouraging more sustainable modes of transport. 

Why is it important?
Unlike traditional models where parking fees is looked at as a general pool of revenue, not linked to any one location, Chennai’s Parking Policy ensures that the revenue collected is re-directed to prioritise improvements in that specific location. 
Currently, the annual parking revenue in Anna Nagar is approximately Rs. 35 lakhs. However, with effective parking management, it is estimated that this could increase to Rs. 3.3 crore per year. This is because, the current practice in Anna Nagar involves pricing per parking slot, rather than, an hourly basis, and not all streets have designated parking slots, resulting in an isolated approach. In contrast, the proposed plan adopts a cluster approach with hourly pricing, ensuring a more organised and efficient system. This revenue will be reinvested into improving Anna Nagar’s mobility, streets, green spaces, etc. 

Future-Proofing Chennai’s Streets

The policy also allows for some future-proof strategies like Urban Freight Management, EV charging integration, Travel Demand Management.

  1.   Urban Freight Management: This is a structured city-level and area-level approach to regulate the  movement of goods. This ensures dedicated loading/unloading zones are allocated on the streets  to reduce congestion and improve last-mile logistics. 
  2.  EV Charging Integration: To ensure that streets can accommodate the growing number of electric vehicles (EVs), the parking policy emphasises the need to integrate both on-street and off-street e-charging infrastructure. By planning for EV charging within parking spaces, the policy supports the shift to cleaner mobility. 
  3. Travel Demand Management (TDM): The policy also allows to create customised strategies for schools, workplaces, and commercial hubs by promoting sustainable commuting options, staggered work hours, and shared mobility to reduce peak-hour congestion.  

How will CUMTA ensure this policy is implemented well and monitored? 

Currently CUMTA has kickstarted the implementation of the policy through Area Level Plan in Anna Nagar. They will roll it out by hiring parking service providers who will manage collection of fees, enforcement etc. This will be a pilot intervention, learnings from which will inform future implementation. Since this is a technology driven parking management plan, CUMTA has also initiated the development of a parking app and a centralised command center for monitoring. The implementation of this pilot will be monitored through 14 robust Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).  

Conclusion 

Chennai’s streets, once vibrant corridors of life, now prioritise metal over people. And for years, moving through the city has felt like a never-ending game of Would You Rather?—drive in circles hunting for parking or weave through a maze of parked vehicles on foot. 

The Parking Policy changes that. It doesn’t force citizens to choose between driving and walking or taking public transport. Instead, it ensures that everyone gets their fair share of space on the road. 

This policy isn’t just a document—it’s the end of a bad game and the beginning of a better city. And that’s a milestone worth celebrating. 

By Sangami Nagarajan, Associate Urban Planning,
With Inputs from Venugopal AV, Programme Manager

Edited by Donita Jose

Tamil Nadu Budget 2025: Public Transport Gains, but Walking and Cycling Need More Attention

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On March 14, the Tamil Nadu (TN) government announced the much-awaited budget outlay for the financial year 2025-26. At the state assembly the Honourable Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu announced the state budget to have an outlay of Rs.57,231 crore. This is nearly 20% more than the 2024-25 budget when Rs.47,681 crore was the total capital expenditure outlay.  

We at ITDP India analysed the budget outlay across sectors to understand how much allocations was given for sustainable urban transport and urban development this year. This is a critical exercise to see whether the budgets are in line with the state’s overall commitment to Sustainable Development Goals and its other forward-looking policies like Tamil Nadu EV Policy, city level Non-Motorised Transport Policy and Comprehensive Mobility Plans  

Here are some of the key highlights of the allocations, along with our insights and recommendations: 

1. Improving Public Transport- Rs.170 crores

The 2025-26 budget provides dedicated allocation for the enhancement of public transport service, operations, and ridership. 

  1. The budget features two Multimodal Transport Terminals to integrate rail, metro and bus transport, at Guindy and Washermanpet , at a cost of Rs.100 crore, featuring “state of the art” passenger amenities. This project shows its commitment to ensuring seamless connectivity across transit modes.  
  2. There is a focus on creating clean and green buses, where the State Transport Corporations will be converting 700 diesel buses to CNG buses at Rs.70 crore and 1125 e-buses will be deployed across Chennai (950), Coimbatore (75), and Madurai (100) for public use starting in 2025-26.  
  3. The Mini-bus scheme is being expanded with revised rules and regulations in around 2,000 routes. 

Why we are glad!
With 28.2% of Chennai’s citizens relying on buses, metro, and rail— covering first- and last-mile distances on foot—the investment in two multimodal hubs is a timely and welcome move. These hubs will expand public transport coverage, improve accessibility, reduce travel distances, and times. They will also ensure seamless transfers, integrate information across modes, and provide standardised wayfinding facilities.

Tamil Nadu converting 700 diesel buses to CNG, is a good move as compared to diesel, CNG reduces particulate emissions by up to 70%, improving public health in areas where air quality often exceeds safe limits. Additionally, it aligns with the state’s climate goals, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20-25% per bus. This initiative lays the groundwork for scaling up cleaner public transport.

Electric buses further support sustainability efforts. The addition of 1,125 electric buses will save diesel fuel costs and cut down carbon emissions.

However, Tamil Nadu still faces a significant shortfall. Based on MoHUA’s benchmark of 60 buses per lakh population, the state’s eight major cities require 12,900 more buses. Despite this gap, Tamil Nadu is leading the way in electric bus adoption, demonstrating how strategic infrastructure planning can support sustainable transit.

The Mini-bus scheme expansion addresses last-mile connectivity issues in suburban and rural areas, where residents often depend on private vehicles or informal transport. By extending the scheme to 2,000 routes with updated regulations, Tamil Nadu aims to improve service quality and coverage. These regulatory changes are expected to resolve operational challenges, enhancing feeder bus services and creating a more efficient system.

2. Providing Assistance to Transport Undertakings – Rs9,682 crore

The Tamil Nadu State Transport corporations are allocated budget for various kinds of subsidies and funds this year. 

  1. Rs.3,600 crore for Magalir Vidiyal Payanam, for free bus rides for women. 
  2. Rs.1,782 crore for free student bus pass scheme. 
  3. Rs.1,157 crore for diesel subsidy. 
  4. Rs.2,000 crore performance-based incentive fund will also be provided to Transport Corporations in Tami Nadu. 
  5. Over and above these subsidies, Rs.646 crore has also been allocated for MTC Chennai as a viability gap fund. 

Why we are glad 
This comprehensive allocation addresses multiple challenges facing Tamil Nadu’s public transport system. The free bus passes for women have already shown remarkable success, with women ridership increasing from 40% to 61% since implementation. The economic impact is substantial, with women saving roughly Rs800 monthly through this scheme. The diesel subsidy component helps mitigate fuel price volatility, ensuring transport corporations can maintain service levels. 
Viability Gap Funding is crucial for developing new infrastructure projects that might otherwise lack financial sustainability. This holistic approach to transport financing , sets a national precedent for how states can support public transportation through multiple financial mechanisms while addressing social equity and operational sustainability. 

Pic: Students await their bus in Chennai

3.Pushing for Electrification – Rs.4 crores

The TN state budget also includes allocation to nudge the adoption of EV by the private sector. 

  1. The Tamil Nadu Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board has been established to promote the welfare of workers. A new scheme has been initiated to support the livelihood of workers registered with the welfare board by providing a subsidy of Rs.20,000 each to 2,000 internet-based service workers for purchasing a new electric vehicle (e-scooter). 
  2. Roadside facilities at 10 selected locations on state highways, including power supply facilities for Electric Vehicles, food stalls, accommodation, rest rooms, first-aid and basic medical facilities, along with shopping malls have been proposed.   

Why we are glad:
Tamil Nadu government supports the growing gig economy by addressing transportation challenges for platform-based workers. High upfront costs have been a barrier to e-scooter adoption, but this subsidy shortens the payback period, making EVs more viable. Research indicates that a 1% increase in purchase subsidies can boost EV sales by 1.36%. While this allocation covers 2,000 workers, it lays the groundwork for scaling incentives, reducing the carbon footprint of last-mile deliveries and personal transport.
Additionally, new roadside facilities fill critical infrastructure gaps for long-distance travelers and commercial drivers. By integrating EV charging stations, Tamil Nadu is tackling range anxiety, a key barrier to EV adoption. This initiative aligns with the state’s EV goals, combining amenities with economic opportunities to create a sustainable highway service model. As Tamil Nadu expands its EV network, these facilities set a precedent for boosting electric mobility while enhancing highway infrastructure.

4. Allocating for Climate Resilient and Healthier Public Spaces – Rs.582 crores

The Tamil Nadu government has shown commitment to invest on climate resilient spaces by announcing multiple projects. These include: 

  1. Creation of Climate Resilient Sponge Parks in seven places in Chennai Metropolitan area with allocation of Rs.88 crore. 
  2. A Riverside Development Works project which includes creation of sewage treatment plants, footpaths, streetlights etc. has been announced for Trichy, Madurai, Erode, Coimbatore, and Tirunelveli Corporations. An allocation of Rs.400 crore has been made for the same.  
  3. Blue Flag Certification for six beaches has been announced with allocation of Rs.24 crore. 
  4. Eco Park to be created in the heart Udhagamandalam in Nilgiris district. It will cover an extent of 52 acres and will be established in the Racecourse area. Allocation of Rs.70 crore has been made for the project. 

        Why we are glad: 
        Tamil Nadu’s continued focus on flood resilience, climate adaptation, and public health is a step in the right direction! Investments like these also create opportunities to transform public spaces, boost local economies, and create safer, healthier, and more vibrant neighborhoods. When designed well, these spaces can encourage walking, cycling, and community engagement, making cities more livable and sustainable. 
        Additionally, integrating walking and cycling infrastructure, universal street design, and traffic calming measures as a standard in road improvement projects as per our earlier recommendation, will ensure equitable accessibility for such public spaces, promote modal shift to sustainable transport and help minimise carbon emissions. 

        5. Investing more in Urban Highways – Rs.4193 crore

        The TN State Budget continues to support the expansion of its highway network and industrial corridors. Notably among them are,  

        1. The Tamil Nadu State Highways Authority (TANSHA) has been allocated Rs.2,100 crore for a 14.2 km long four-lane elevated road from Thiruvanmiyur to Uthandi along the East Coast Road.  
        2. Rs.380 crore have been allocated for flyovers in Chennai under the Kalaignar Nagarpura Membattu Thittam. 
        3. Rs.1713 crore of allocation for the construction of 14 bypasses across cities in Tamil Nadu including Coimbatore and Tirunelveli. 

        What we recommend: 
        Data shows that widening of roads does not reduce traffic congestion, rather increases it. Wide roads attract more vehicles and high speeds-the biggest reason for road crash deaths in Tamil Nadu. Beyond road engineering solutions, this is an opportunity to prioritise road equity by ensuring a balanced Right of Way for all users—pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport commuters alike.  
        The funding should therefore support the implementation of traffic calming elements in these corridors with well-designed footpaths and cycle lanes, safer crossings with refuge islands and other facilities for universal access. This is necessary to ensure that the urban highways, flyovers and bypasses are safe and comfortable for everyone to use. 
        As the State continues to expand its road infrastructure, the focus should shift from merely adding more lanes for private vehicles to building an efficient and reliable public transport system. Dedicated bus lanes have been proven to significantly cut travel times by 20-30% during peak hours, ensuring that buses can move efficiently even in high-traffic corridors. This not only makes public transport more attractive, also boosts ridership and revenue. A great example is Bengaluru’s NIMBUS project, where the introduction of dedicated bus lanes led to a 64% increase in ticketing revenue—a clear indicator of how prioritising buses can transform urban mobility.  

        6. Making Investments for Road Infrastructure Upgrades – Rs.13,952 crore

        In 2025-26 budget as well, TN government continued to invest in multiple road development and road expansion projects. Notably among them were:

        1. Under the Kalaignar Nagarpura Membattu Thittam scheme a total outlay of Rs2000 crore was seen for various development work. Of this, road works worth Rs.816 crore have been allocated for infrastructure upgrades. These will be taken up across Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai. 
        2. Road upgradation work got a focus, additionally, under the Nagarpura Salai Membattu Thittam, at a cost of Rs.550 crore.
        3. The budget also provides a substantial allocation of Rs.9,476 crore under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme to improve roads and bridges, state-wide.
        4. The city of Chennai is set to receive another allocation of Rs.2,910 crore towards the development of the Peripheral Ring Road Project, a stretch of 132.87km connecting Ennore Port in the north to Poonjeri in the south.
        5. The budget also provides allocations to the tune of Rs.200 crore for Urban Highways, to implement suitable improvements in high-risk and accident-prone areas, including narrow curves and road junctions.

        What we recommend: 
        Continued investment in road infrastructure upgrades is a positive step towards improving urban mobility.  
        To make our streets truly inclusive and efficient, it is essential that the government invests not just in carriageway improvements, but beyond. As mentioned above, integrating walking and cycling infrastructure and following universal design practices should be non-negotiable in all road development work initiated by the state. 
        Including features such as raised crossings, refuge islands, and designated parking can help ensure safer access for all users. We recommend that these critical design elements are integrated into all new road projects. 

        Other Highlights

         

        It is worth mentioning that there are recurring investments in key areas of urban mobility as well as creation of new projects to enhance urban sustainability and safety:. 

        1. Chennai Metro Rail Project – Phase II gets continued allocation of Rs.4,807 crore.
        2.  Singara Chennai 2.0 – Continued allocation for urban development projects for Chennai city under this scheme with an outlay of Rs.850 crore.
        3. Global City in Chennai- A new city will be developed near Chennai spread over an extent of 2,000 acres. TIDCO will soon commence the works for the first phase of the ‘Global City’ project, which will offer world-class facilities.
        4. Safety for Women- The budget has shown a continued commitment towards women safety with this year’s budget earmarking Rs.75 crore for the same in Chennai and four other cities across Tamil Nadu.

        By Varsha Vasuhe (Associate Urban Development), Sanchana Sathyanarayan (Associate Healthy Street)
        With Inputs from Sooraj EM, Deputy Manager & Venugopal AV, Programme Manager

        Edited by Donita Jose and Aangi Shah (Communications)

        Chennai’s Streets for People: The journey

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        Infographic Blog

        In an era of vanishing footpaths and widening carriageways, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has been introducing a host of initiatives prioritising pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users — giving these social heroes their due. From adopting a progressive policy that makes walking and cycling its priority in 2014, to rigorously implementing the policy through its Chennai Street Design Project and the Smart City Mission over the last five years, the city has been transforming itself from a car-centric to a people-friendly city.

        Scaling up the street transformation work in Chennai, the Greater Chennai Corporation launched the Chennai Mega Streets Programme to create a city wide network of streets with a lifespan of at least 30 years – prioritising Liveability, Mobility and Utility. The success of the street transformation works and the Mega Streets launch was reflected in the Tamil Nadu Budget announcement in February 2020, with the allocation of funds for the preparation of DPRs and commencement of work.

        With the Mega Streets Programme now set in motion, Chennai is now gearing up to become the “Walking Capital of the Country”. Learn more about the city’s journey of making Streets for People in the infographic below.

        Conceptualized by: Aswathy Dilip, A V Venugopal, Santhosh Loganaathan

        Rethinking decision making through collaborative community planning

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        The French philosopher and sociologist Henri Lefebvre interpreted space as an entity that is not static, but one that is alive and dynamically shaped through the interaction of people with it. He stressed on the importance of the production of space through these social relations over merely treating space as an object. We, however, live in a world which largely follows the technocratic planning principles for managing these spaces, rather than  embracing the relations that form them. 

        Through understanding the relationship between people and their surrounding environment inherent to every space, the cities can ensure a demand-driven approach to solution making, where decisions are largely tailor-made than mass produced to the context. This will ensure a multidisciplinary approach to solution making, where there is open knowledge sharing and a collaborative work of different stakeholders. An intervention will thus have more credibility when it is shaped through a participatory approach involving all participants who have a stake in it. 

        The case of transformation along Sringeri Mutt Road

        An interesting example of how the participatory deliberation of the people can shape spaces they live in was observed in the case of the tactical urbanism intervention along the Sringeri Mutt Road, facilitated  by ITDP India Programme in Chennai. The quick and cost-effective initiative that was largely community driven, was aimed at enhancing the road and personal safety of the neighborhood, primarily women and children.

        [baslider name=”CollectiveCommunity”]

        Deepening Democracy: Innovations in Empowered Participatory Governance by A. Fung and O. Wright  highlights three key principles of Empowered Deliberative Democracy which seem to be strongly embraced in this case.

        The first principle speaks of ‘practical orientation’ of having a specific focus on tangible problems, which helps solve it through the next two principles. With abandoned vehicles and unauthorized parking lining the stretch along the canal, the dead spaces had become a breeding hub for anti-social activities.   The tangible problems in this case were identified as the need to enhance road and personal safety for the street users in the neighborhood.

        The second principle is about ‘bottom up participation’ which calls for including people directly affected by the problems, to serve as a channel for experts and citizens to work together. The direct involvement helps in increasing efficiency, trust, and accountability. The ITDP India Programme was able to measure the root cause of the concerns through initiating dialogues with the different stakeholders in the neighborhood. Those who faced the brunt were frequent users of the street, which were the local residents and the students and teachers of the neighboring school. The different layers of the problem were gradually unwrapped through site visits and discussions with these users

        The third principle on ‘deliberative solution generation’ involves joint planning and problem solving through a process of deliberation. The participants hear out each other’s concerns and work together towards developing a solution through discussions than heated arguments.The fresh lease of life that the space witnessed was due to the efforts of the Chennai Traffic Police, Greater Chennai Corporation, civic action groups like Thiruveedhi Amman Koil Street Residents Association (TAKSRA) and Karam Korpom, Chennai High School (Mandaveli) and the ITDP India Programme.


        Sketch by the author on the case of Sringeri Mutt Road based on the principles of Empowered Deliberative Democracy

        This case showed alternate approaches to transformations that a city can witness, where deciphering the needs and solutions is a joint process with the people involved, than a top-down approach.

        Moving towards a systemic change

        The intervention on the ground, its success and the interest it has lit amongst the city officials to scale- up, draws parallels to stage model of social innovation discussed by Robin Murray, Geoff Mulgan and Julie Grice.

        Source: Stages of Social Innovation from ‘Social Innovation Regimes An Exploratory Framework to measure Social Innovation’ Castro Spila, Javier & Luna, Álvaro & Unceta, Alfonso (2016)

        The tactical urbanism solution as a prototype addressed the poor social conditions that prevailed. The smiles that it achieved in bringing to the faces of the children and other users have reflected the triumph of the approach and the city is pushing towards scaling up these quick, low cost and community driven interventions to other areas. 

        Pugalis and Giddings in their work on ‘The renewed right to urban life’ extends on the Lefebvrian philosophy which values the coproduction of space. They bring up the concept and importance of ‘little victories’, small wins that add up to create strong ripples capable of bringing a systemic change.  A systemic change involves the gradual reshaping of mindsets that have been accustomed to a set machinery and distribution of power. These steps to scale up the interventions, however reflect the possibility of bringing a systemic change that values the collaborative approach to decision making, by prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable users. The interest of the city to facilitate this decentralized approach, indirectly shapes this into a coordinated decentralized system, taking the best of both systems.

        As a country that has shaped through over seventy years of democratic politics, there is an inherent need to see citizenship as something that is as dynamic as a space itself. Urbanist Luigi Maza speaks of the dual nature of citizenship, one that is not just a bundle of rights and obligations, but a dynamic social process of the citizens contributing to the production of spaces, redesigning its rules and obligations. As the city  adopts new ways of decision making, the citizens also have to start thinking outside the walls of the homes they have built and see the entire city as their home and contribute towards improving it. After all, as Jane Jacobs rightly put it, ‘Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody’.

        Written by AV Venugopal

        Edited by Kashmira Dubash


        Chennai enroute to humanising streets through better design

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        Having successfully created over 100 km of Complete Streets with wide and vibrant footpaths, Chennai is now expanding its efforts! The city aims to create a master plan for a city-wide network of streets for walking and cycling, along with adopting Street Design Guidelines to guide all future projects.

        “The engineering team in Chennai has already been involved in many street redesign projects and has a lot of ideas. The stage is set, now we just need to scale up the work and transform Chennai with a Non-Motorised Transport master plan,” said the newly appointed Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation G Prakash, IAS, at an internal kick-off workshop on 8 March, 2019.

        The day-long workshop, held by the Greater Chennai Corporation with technical support from the ITDP India Programme, was set with a dual agenda. Firstly, it aimed to establish the vision for Chennai to create a Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) master plan and to identify the process to develop the same. Secondly, it aimed at the dissemination of information from the design guidelines to the engineers and officials from various departments of the city.

        Through a hands-on and participatory exercise, participants were able to give feedback to improvise the guidelines. The workshop brought together over 60 participants, comprising of engineers and officials from different departments of the Greater Chennai Corporation.

        NMT Masterplan

        All global metropolitans, including Indian ones, are waking to the realisation that it is imperative to prioritise walking and cycling while planning cities. To quote placemaking pioneer Fred Kent, “If you plan cities for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic. If you plan for people and places, you get people and places.”

        “With over 100 km of streets reclaimed for pedestrians and cyclists, Chennai is certainly on the right track of prioritising people over motorised transport,” said L Nandakumar, chief engineer of the Greater Chennai Corporation, while presenting various street transformations and laurels the city has achieved over the years.

        The need for an NMT master plan was highlighted by Aswathy Dilip, Senior Programme Manager at the ITDP India Programme, who spoke of the requirement for bringing a network approach in the planning of  projects in the city. This will help scale up the existing projects, ensuring the street transformations are not scattered and instead done in a holistic manner. An NMT master plan will ensure the promotion of environmentally friendly modes that encourage healthy lifestyles. It will also contribute to social equity by improving accessibility to work and home for all cross sections of the society.  

        The proposed approach for the Chennai NMT master plan is in line with the Tamil Nadu Mega Streets Programme, that plans to redesign 1,600 km of roads across ten corporations in the state.

        Chennai Street Design Guidelines

        Over the past few years, Chennai has been taking great efforts to create safe, walkable, and livable streets that cater to all user groups. Known as Complete Streets, these are designed with wide and continuous footpaths, safe pedestrian crossings, dedicated cycle tracks (where applicable), conveniently placed bus stops, clearly designated on-street parking, organised street vending, and properly-scaled carriageways.

        With many more streets in the pipeline to be redesigned by the Greater Chennai Corporation, the NMT master plan looks to drive this vision through with a set of guidelines to direct the design and implementation process.  The main focus being to improve the user experience and ensure seamless connectivity. As a result, the state is planning to adopt the Chennai Street Design Guidelines—which draws from various Indian Roads Congress guidelines and also from the city’s own learnings from its street design experience.

        The guidelines aim to create streets for all users. It is intended for urban designers and most importantly, government officials and citizens who look to inhabit better quality urban environment and bring back life into our city streets.  For this purpose, the design guide identifies the different functions of streets and emphasises the need for complete streets that accommodates all.

        Besides the step-by-step design process chart, the guidelines offer designers a checklist of information to be collected prior to designing the street. It also highlights the various elements that form a complete street. Through street and intersection templates, one can get a sense of how different elements come together to create different types and sizes of streets.

        Hands-on Exercise

        To better understand the concept of Complete Streets, the engineers, at the workshop, were engaged through a hands on exercise to use the guidelines to redesign a city stretch. As interest grew in the exercise so did the valuable feedbacks, which have been noted and the ITDP India Programme will work to improve suitably.

         

         

         

         

        In 2014, Chennai set an example for the rest of the country by adopting the non-motorised transport (NMT) policy. It sent out a clear message: Chennai prioritised its people over cars. By creating a master plan for a city-wide Complete Streets network and adopting the Street Design Guidelines, the city is adding more feathers to its already illustrious cap. These moves reflect Chennai’s commitment to create safe streets that consider the needs of all users.

         

        Written by A V Venugopal

        Edited by Rohit James and Kashmira Medhora Dubash

        What the people of Chennai have to say about the pedestrian plaza proposal at Pondy Bazaar

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        Chennaites’ love story with Pondy Bazaar is one which spans across many generations, long before shopping malls sprouted across the city. It continues to weave its charm, attracting people from all walks of life across the world to be a part of this unique shopping experience. “Since my childhood I have been coming here for shopping. The experience of walking from shop to shop with my parents is a fond memory, which I am reliving now with my kids,” said Mr.Balaji, a 46-year old shopper. For him and many others, Pondy Bazaar is not just a space, but an emotion. To further enhance this feeling and the overall experience, Chennai Smart City Ltd. and Greater Chennai Corporation with design support from Darashaw and Studio R+R is implementing the much-awaited pedestrian plaza along Thyagaraya Road, the 1.4 km stretch of Pondy Bazaar between Panagal Park and Mount Road.

        While the city is eagerly anticipating the plaza, local shopkeepers are concerned that the removal of cars and parking from Thyagaraya road might affect their sales. To understand the ground reality and possible solutions to address their concerns, the ITDP India Programme conducted a public opinion survey. Results show that only 25% of the shoppers visiting Pondy Bazaar park on Thyagaraya Road. These vehicles can be accommodated in the side streets and around Panagal Park, which is already preferred due to the availability of parking. The shoppers are eagerly looking forward to the vibrant pedestrian plaza, expressing their preference for an unhindered shopping space over cars!

        Over the years, cars have gradually been dominating the street space, making life difficult for the shoppers. “I take fifteen minutes to cross this road! Accidents! Pollution! There is no peace of mind, and it’s because of the traffic,” said a survey respondent. Pondy Bazaar has become vehicle centric, taking space away from the public.

        The pedestrian plaza planned by the city with support from the ITDP India Programme, is envisioned as an attractive public space for shoppers. With continuous pedestrian walkways, ample opportunity for seating, comfortable tree cover, and colourful play elements, the plaza will be easily accessible for women, children, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

        The project aims at transforming the street to encourage more people to walk, shop and wander, without the fear of accidents. It will enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety, foster community interaction, and boost local businesses. Once implemented, the Thyagaraya Road will prioritise public transport and cars will not be allowed. By transforming the shopping street from a car-centric to a people-centric space, the pedestrian plaza will result in better air quality, health, and wellbeing of the users.

        The citizens had a glimpse of the new Pondy Bazaar experience during the trial runs held in November 2016 and February 2017. With cars stopped from entering Thyagaraya Road, traffic progressed smoothly and shoppers had more room for walking and other fun activities and games. The space was filled with laughter, smiles, and a new-found energy, showing the impact the proposal could have on the users, for generations to come.

        Despite the excitement for this project, the local shopkeepers have raised concerns about the impact of pedestrianisation on their revenue. With the proposed multi-level car park still under construction, the shopkeepers are worried that shoppers would drive away to other destinations with better parking facilities. To understand the actual travel needs of the shoppers, the ITDP India Programme conducted an on-ground survey of over 500 shoppers, in collaboration with the RVS School of Architecture.

        The survey showed that over half of the shoppers reach Pondy Bazaar by means of public transport, walking or cycling. Amongst the private motor vehicle users, more than half already park on the side streets and at Panagal Park. While Thyagaraya Road has a capacity of roughly 200 vehicles, the side streets which are currently under-utilised for parking, can accommodate nearly 500 parked vehicles.

        Therefore, one possible and feasible solution is to shift parking from Thyagaraya Road to the side streets, through an effective parking management system. Demand-based parking fees combined with strong enforcement will ensure that cars are not irresponsibly parked in front of residence gates or on footpaths. This will also help shoppers find parking spots more conveniently through their phones, saving time, and fuel.

        When asked about accessing Thyagaraya Road from the side streets, 78 percent of the users felt it was easy to park on the side streets and walk to the shops. A whopping 94 percent of the shoppers expressed how they were looking forward to a Pondy Bazaar, free of cars and designed for the pedestrians.

        Pondy Bazaar has always been and will continue to remain a strong evergreen sentiment. By prioritising pedestrians, especially children, elderly and other vulnerable users over vehicles in the Pedestrian Plaza, Chennai is opening up new ways of experiencing the space. The people and their interactions make a city. The Pedestrian Plaza is bound to attract more locals and foreigners, boost the economy and above all, enhance the identity of this shopping hub.

         

        Written by AV Venugopal

        Edited by Kashmira Medhora Dubash

         

        Tamil Nadu takes big steps in pursuit of liveable and sustainable cities

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        Over the past two decades, cities of Tamil Nadu have seen a rapid increase in personal motor vehicles. This has been, in large part, due to the lack of investment in creating quality infrastructure for walking, cycling, and public transport, along with little or no regulation of motor vehicle parking.

        Streets are getting more congested with every passing day and air is turning unbreathable. Road crashes and fatalities are at an all-time high; Tamil Nadu is at the top of the list in India. But now, a small revolution seems to be on the anvil: a state-led programme that aims to transform urban roads into ‘Complete Streets’ in cities across the state.

        Earlier this year, the Tamil Nadu Commissionerate of Municipal Administration (CMA), with technical assistance from ITDP India Programme, initiated the Transforming Tamil Nadu project. ITDP began working with ten of the state’s most populous cities other than Chennai—Coimbatore, Erode, Madurai, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tiruppur, Trichy, and Vellore —to create Complete Streets master plans.

        Based on this, the state has now announced its intentions to raise financing of the order of Rs 20,000 crore to redevelop 1,700 km of urban streets to improve safety, accessibility, and liveability for all road users.

        Why complete streets make cities smart

        As of 2018, Tamil Nadu has around 25 million registered motorised vehicles and are growing annually at 2.5%, surpassing the state’s population growth. While personal motor vehicles—two-wheeled as well as four-wheeled—account for approximately 90% of the total vehicle fleet, they serve only 28% of the daily trips made by people of Tamil Nadu. In contrast, 67% of all trips are made on foot, cycle, and public transport—modes of transport that efficiently use limited street space and are environment-friendly. Yet, thus far, transport planning and the design of streets has been unfriendly to these modes.

        Here is where concepts such as Complete Streets help cities meet these sustainable development expectations. Not only do they support sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling, but the design standards also lay emphasis on equal access to streets—regardless of their age, gender, ability, or mode of transportation.

        The main components of Complete Streets are the wide and continuous footpaths, safe pedestrian crossings, separate cycle tracks (where applicable), bus stops designed to enhance convenience, designated on-street parking, organised street vending, and properly-scaled carriageways.

        These streets are designed to offer the best of convenience and comfort based on local needs and offer spaces for relaxation, recreation, and interaction. And in the process, ensuring safety through equitable allocation of space for all users, keeping emission levels at a check, and promoting sustainable means of transport among the community.

        Getting things started on the ground

        In April 2018, the ITDP India Programme, in association with GIZ Smart-SUT, conducted a state-level workshop on ‘Designing streets for walking and cycling’ on behalf of the CMA. Commissioners and senior municipal staff from all ten cities learnt about the need for Complete Streets and the way to plan and implement them.

        Realising the transformative potential of Complete Streets, the CMA launched the Transforming Tamil Nadu project. The cities were commissioned to engage with ITDP India Programme to identify, map, plan, and implement city-wide networks of Complete Streets that prioritise walking, cycling, and access to public transport.

        Over a period of nine months, the India Programme held ten workshops that saw participation by over 300 officials.

        These workshops helped facilitate a joint discussion between various stakeholders—corporation engineers, Traffic Police, Highways Department, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL),Tamil Nadu Water Supply And Drainage Board (TWAD), as well as civil society organisations—to work together to develop a joint vision for their city’s future.

        Each of these interactions began with sensitising the officials, as most were naturally inclined to believe that motor vehicles dominated the paradigm of urban planning. They were presented with statistics that represented the present conditions. One such tidbit: a third of all trips in Tamil Nadu are made on foot! But how many footpaths are designed to cater to pedestrians or how many streets even have footpaths for that matter?!

        This dialogue left a resounding impact on the audience.

        Once the foundation to the concept was laid, officials were engaged in a participative mapping exercise to identify streets for redevelopment. This exercise allowed various authorities to work in collaboration, and deliberate upon conceptual walking and cycling network plans for their respective city. The data that came about, by means of this participatory session, was processed into GIS maps and analysed to understand block estimates about the streets available for transformation and tentative project budget.

        As a result of this mapping exercise, officials from these then cities identified a network of 1,700 km of streets that could be transformed into sustainable, liveable spaces!

        How things are shaping up

        “Over the past two years, we’ve spent over Rs 20,000 crore in providing basic infrastructure with projects worth Rs 50,000 crore in the pipeline. In addition to that we require about Rs 20,000 crore for development of Smart Roads, which we are seeking from development banks,” said the state minister for Municipal Affairs and Water Supply (MAWS) and Implementation for Special Projects, Thiru SP Velumani, at a workshop held on 21 December 2018.

        The workshop, conducted in partnership with Asian Development Bank, aimed to sensitise officials from urban local bodies on the Governance Improvement and Awareness Component (GIAC) of the Tamil Nadu Urban Flagship Investment Program (TNUFIP).

        ITDP India Programme’s work with these ten cities helped in identifying a draft network of 1,700 km of city streets to be redeveloped into Complete Streets. Given the potential of this initiative, the Tamil Nadu government is reaching out to prospective funders. To set precedent, ITDP India Programme will work with GIZ Smart-SUT to create detailed city-wide plans for walking and cycling in three pilot cities which will then be scaled to the other cities.

        As stressed upon by the CMA, during this workshop, these streets will have to be redesigned as per complete street design standards for underground utility and surface design, to gage a lasting impact on the liveability of the city.

        As it is said, action speaks louder than words and Tamil Nadu’s action details its aspiration to become the walking and cycling capital of India. This giant leap by the state to create high-quality city-wide networks of Complete Streets for its citizens is commendable!

        Written by Rohit James

        Edited by Kashmira Medhora Dubash

        Capacity Development Shapes Tamil Nadu Towns for Urban Tomorrow

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        Tamil Nadu is urbanising and based on recent trends, the state is expected to be the most urbanised by 2030. With 11 Tamil Nadu cities being part of the Smart City Mission, it reflects the aspiration and potential that smaller townships hold to become urban centres. This is where capacity building and development exercises help bridge their aspirations with realistic and sustainable solutions.

        At this point, many municipalities are growing faster than their projected trajectory, which has begun disrupting the established planning layout. To counter this spurt of growth, municipal officials on most occasions resort to quick fixes or knee-jerk solutions which in the future can further accelerate their woes.  

        Taking notice of this worrying development, the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration (CMA), in partnership with the Tamil Nadu Institute of Urban Studies (TNIUS) and the ITDP India Programme, commissioned the capacity building programme on urban planning. The program was structured to help prepare town planners and panchayat officials to create streets and public spaces which meet the standards of upcoming smart cities.

        Shifting from streets for vehicles, to streets for all

        In the midst of modernisation, a key component of civic planning that is often overlooked is equitable street design. To help towns and municipalities reimagine and structure streets, beyond just accommodating the rampant vehicle population, the India Programme was brought on board to share its expertise in creating complete streets which adhere to every road users need.

        As part of the course, the India Programme designed and conducted capacity development sessions for over 240 town planners from about 100 municipalities that was spread across three months.

         

        In absence of such interventions, town planners tend to sway to the tune of vehicle-centric planning; this at the expense of safe footpaths and cycling facilities. While carriageways only get broader and footpaths narrower! Hence, such developmental workshops help officials realise the need for equality and accessibility while laying out streets. Emphasis was put on creating and improving infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists—who account as the primary occupants of Indian urban roads.

        Making sense of Complete Streets

        ‘What are Complete Streets?’ When asked to express their understanding of the concept, the responses from officials varied from ‘streets that are planned for better vehicular passage’ to it being ‘foreign/alien’ to them.

        So, what are Complete Streets?

        Complete Streets are street layouts that cater to all user groups—regardless of their age, gender, ability, or mode of transportation. They are designed with wide and continuous footpaths, safe pedestrian crossings, separate cycle tracks (where applicable), bus stops designed to enhance convenience, designated on-street parking, organised street vending, and properly-scaled carriageways. These streets are designed to offer the best of convenience and comfort based on local needs and offer spaces for relaxation, play, and interaction.

        Understanding the essence of Complete Streets

        Since motor vehicles have been dominating every square inch of our urban infrastructure and design plans, the sessions began with a bit of a reality check. Participants, including town planning inspectors, executive officers, and town planning officers, were introduced to general facts such as modal share, infrastructure inadequacies, misconceptions regarding road infrastructure planning, etc.

        This turned out to be an important step in the process, as it helped expose the misbelief that motor vehicles transport more people than any other transportation mode. Walking and cycling accounts for 40-50% of the total modal share, and just a quarter of urban trips are on personal motor vehicles.

         

        To further quash the fallacy, officials were shown multiple images of vehicle-centric design plans which were riddled with flaws—unusable or absent footpaths, rampant on-street parking encroachments, haphazard pedestrian crossings, etc. On realising the potential threat such single-pronged plan would generate, more officials realised why streets need to designed for all users than just vehicles.

        Providing the tools for change

        Understanding the flaw is just one part of the solution, the next step required acceptance and gumption to resolve it. Hence, the following session looked to tackle the incessant argument claiming, ‘Our town streets aren’t like cities, they are too small to adopt such measures.’

        By sensitising officials to multiple examples of Indian streets, each reclaimed and refurbished according to best practices, many of the skeptics were won over by the effectiveness of the Complete Street programme. For example, the redesign of JM Road and DP Road in Pune; which has been lauded across the country, even winning the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Award and the Volvo Mobility Award 2017.

        Further on, the basic components of Complete Streets were broken down and each element was interactively explained to officials.

        To further enable their understanding of the concept, ITDP’s resources—such as Footpath Fix and Footpath Design for designing and constructing standardised footpaths and Parking Basics and Park it Right for creating means for a parking management system—were discussed and later shared with the participants for further reference.  

        At the pace towns are developing in Tamil Nadu, 2030 does not seem like a distant future. Therefore, such capacity development sessions go a long way to instil concepts of sustainable and equitable mobility culture right at the grassroot levels. In essence, preparing these townships to meet their aspirations and ensure it is done for the people and not vehicles.

        Written by Rohit James

        Edited by Kashmira Medhora Dubash

        Pune inspires Tamil Nadu cities to reclaim streets for people

        pune cycle sharing

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        “Smart cities are equivalent to glamorous buildings where policies and guidelines form a strong foundation”, Mr. Kunal Kumar, IAS, Commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation. Over the years, our streets have been reduced to battlefields as people try to grapple with traffic congestion, lack of footpaths, and air pollution. One city that has taken bold, applaudable measures to rectify this chaos is Pune. Pune has been and continues to be an inspiration for many Indian cities that strive to reclaim streets for its people.

        To explore Pune’s accomplishments, ITDP organised and facilitated a study tour for Tamil Nadu city officials – Corporation Commissioners of Erode, Madurai, Salem, Tiruppur, and Vellore, accompanied by engineers from the office of the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration. The study tour was conducted in collaboration with Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd. (also known as PSCDCL) and Pune Municipal Corporation, in February. The one-day programme aimed to sensitise participants on the best practises of designing complete streets – streets with quality footpaths, segregated cycle tracks, safe pedestrian crossing and managed parking.

        Delegates interacting with PSCDCL team at the Smart City Operations Centre

        Delegates interacting with PSCDCL team at the Smart City Operations Centre

        The delegates visited the Smart City Operations Centre that seamlessly integrates management and monitoring of the smart city operations. To the extent, “this system also oversees the energy consumed by streetlights in the city and alerts us when any light stops working”, explained Mr. Manojit Bose,Chief Knowledge Officer, PSCDCL. The team from Tamil Nadu marvelled at the Centre’s resourcefulness at data collection and efficiency in maintaining the city’s public infrastructure.

        This was followed by a roundtable discussion, facilitated by Mr Kunal Kumar, Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation. Mr Kumar highlighted three guiding principles for a smart city: adopt policies that guide it’s existing and future transportation requirements, leverage multiple sources of funding, and build internal capacity. Pune has launched a two-year programme with Singapore Land Transport Authority to enable 120 engineers from five departments in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad to acquire the knowledge and skills required for the projects.

        Mr. Kunal Kumar interacts with the Tamil Nadu team and shares his recommendations for the success of the smart city projects.

        Mr. Kunal Kumar interacts with the Tamil Nadu team and shares his recommendations for the success of the smart city projects.

        The discussion was followed by a site visit to Aundh-DP road to observe the seamless execution of Pune’s complete streets. Mr. Vikas Thakar, Pavetech Consultants, gave an insight into the implementation of high quality streets and detailed the design process of DP road. The delegates took the opportunity to experience Pune’s public bicycle sharing (PBS) system first-hand by cycling along the dedicated cycle tracks on DP Road. Pune’s dockless PBS system was proposed under the city’s Bicycle Plan which piloted 275 bicycles of the proposed total of 13,100 docked bicycles. The system received a great response from the delegates.

        TN delegates checking Pune PBS

        Tamil Nadu delegates testing Pune’s dockless PBS system

        The delegates also visited a transformed public amenity space at Baner. Pune’s vision of creating recreational spaces has been revolutionised. Gone are the days when parks were the only public open spaces in the city. Underutilised and derelict parcels of land have been acquired by the Corporation and developed into theme-based amenity spaces. The two pilot projects in Baner are perfect examples of how cities can explore and catalyse the versatility of urban spaces.

        Amenity space developed on the theme of ‘Art and Culture’ in Baner

        Amenity space developed on the theme of ‘Art and Culture’ in Baner

        Although smart cities are often synonymous with information and communication technologies, a city has to invest in human and social capital for improving the quality of life and achieving sustainable economic development. That is when it can truly become a smart city. And, after the exposure visit to Pune, it can be safely said that this is what cities in Tamil Nadu are aspiring for!