study on chennai city

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CHAPTER 4

THE STUDY AREA- CHENNAI CITY

4.1 INTRODUCTION

Chennai, situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, is the capitalof Tamilnadu and the fourth largest metropolis in India. Its older name Madras

was officially changed to Chennai in 1996. The Chennai Metropolis (with alatitude between 1250'49" and 1317'24", and a longitude between 7959'53"and 8020'12") is located on the Coramandal coast in South India and the landis a flat coastal plain.

The Chennai Metropolitan Area comprises of the area covered by the

Chennai City Corporation (Chennai District), an area of 176 sq.kmcomprising of 155 wards (villages/ Local Bodies) in 10 corporation zones asshown in Plate 4.1, 16 Municipalities, 20 Town Panchayats and 314 villagesforming part of 10 Panchayat Unions in Thiruvallur and KancheepuramDistricts. It extends over 1189 Sq. Km and has a population of 7.04 million asper the 2001 census. The proposed land use map as per the master plan isshown in Plate 4.2.

Chennai has a very heterogeneous mix of architectural styles

ranging from ancient temples to the British colonial era buildings and to thelatest modern buildings. Most of the buildings constructed during the colonial

era are of the Indo-Sarcenic style. Chennai is a major transportation hub forroad, rail, air and sea transport, connecting major cities inland and abroad.

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Plate 4.1 Chennai city with administrative boundaries

It is also one of the major educational centres in India, with a numberof colleges and research institutions. Chennai is thus emerging as animportant metropolis in the South Asian region. The outline of the history andgrowth of Chennai City from the 16th century till date with a special referenceto the image element of the city is discussed further, to understand thehistorical growth pattern of Chennai.

Plate 4.1 Chennai city with Administrative Boundaries

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Plate 4.2 Proposed Land use map of Chennai city

4.2 HISTORY OF CHENNAI CITY

Muthiah (1999) refers to Chennai as a "city of firsts" in SouthIndia, a place that played a pivotal role in the origins of the British Empire.He points out that Madras was the first major British settlement in India, anduntil 1774 was the capital of the entire British Empire in the east, whichstretched from India to Indonesia. The city's Corporation, founded in 1687,was the first such governing body to be set up outside Europe. The erstwhile

Plate 4.2 Proposed Land use Map of Chennai city

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Guindy Engineering College, now Anna University, was the first institutionoutside Europe to teach engineering and British law, and its courts functionedfor the first time in India in Madras in the mid-1600s.

Like many other Indian cities, Madras was a British creation.Villages such as Mylapore, Santhome and Poonamalee existed well before theBritish arrived but the beginnings of the city of Madras can be traced back to1639. Madras soon grew into a settlement of importance but in 1774 theBritish shifted their capital to Calcutta, influenced by its proximity to thenorth, its commercial importance represented by industries such as jute andindigo, and its climate. Until Independence, Madras remained the capital ofthe Madras Presidency, an area that encompassed the whole of south India aswell as parts of Maharashtra and Orissa. The British imposed their identity onthe city, but traditional structures coexisted with colonial creations. Madrasmay not have had the flamboyance of Edwin Lutyens' Delhi or imperialBombay and Calcutta, but its quiet charm was unmistakable. Apart fromtraditional architecture, the Indo-Sarcenic, Colonial, Classical, Gothic,Romanesque and other styles can be seen in Madras. Many early examples ofthe highly regarded Indo-Sarcenic style, which culminated in Lutyens'magnificent planned portion of Delhi, can be found in Madras.

Since Independence, many of India's cities have beentransformed significantly as a result of economic and population pressures.Over time, cities have changed from concentrated and identifiable towns tosprawling urban areas. This growth has usually resulted in a poor quality oflife for the average citizen. The pressure on land in urban areas has drasticallyincreased its value and often a city's heritage buildings have been sacrificedfor more financially lucrative enterprises. On the pretext of urbandevelopment, new constructions, which often have scant regard for localconditions and contexts, have damaged the very quality of life they wereintended to improve.

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There is an urgent need for a holistic approach to town planningthat recognises that the old and new can exist together. In 1900, the city wasdescribed as a "very charming old lady, gowned in old silks and laces. Astudy of the development trends helps us to ascertain where development hadoccurred in the past, and also particularly in recent years, the reasons for thesame and how changes have occurred over a period of time with respect toimage. It would help in identifying the potential areas for future developmentand also give us an idea of how the future image of Chennai city will be,according to the future directions of growth, taking into account all therelevant planning aspects incorporated in the second master plan of Chennaicity 2026.

4.2.1 Image Elements of Chennai City from its Evolution to thePresent

The analysis of different image elements in various periods isoutlined in Table 4.1. Chennai grew from Settlements focused on temples.Each of these settlements were self-contained, had its own agriculturalproduction and household industries. Later important lines of communicationlinked these settlements leading to community development and sprawl.Growth was not regulated and infrastructure facilities were not developedleading to traffic and congestion in the city. Restriction of commercial andIndustrial activities in certain zones of the city, encouragement of growthalong transport corridors and development of urban nodes happened alongwith the dispersal of major activities from CBD area, the development ofsatellite towns and large scale neighbourhoods accelerated the urban sprawl.Due to the large scale economic activities residential neighbourhoodsdeveloped in and around the suburban areas along the transport network.Plenty of communication links between the settlements in the form of bridgesand roads developed, and people started moving in different directionsaccording to their economic activities (weaving, pot making, trade etc.) andthe need for space. This led to community development and sprawl.

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Table 4.1 An outline of the time and function of the city with the important features of the elements of growth changing the city imageability

Time period and Function of the city and Important Features Elements of Growth changing the CityImageSecond century AD -16th century AD

i. Settlements existed in the area of Mylapore, Triplicaneand Santhome.

ii. The geographer Ptolemy had recorded it in the second centuryAD that the port of Mylapore was known to the Greeks andthe Romans. The Port had a flourishing trade with the RomanEmpire and received considerable quantities of gold inexchange for products like pepper and fine cloth.

iii. Both Mylapore and Triplicane were important Hindureligious centres and inscriptions dating back to the eighthcentury have been found in the Triplicane Temple.

iv. Mention has been made of the early settlement of Santhomeby Arab travelers and merchants of the 9th and 10thcenturies.

v. Marcopolo visited this place in the late 13th Centuryvi. In Santhome, the Portuguese, having originally arrived in

1522, constructed a fort and settlement.

? Separate Settlements? Temples for each settlement as anidentity? Forts

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Table 4.1 (Continued)

Time period and Function of the city and Important Features Elements of Growth changing the CityImage17th century

i. Scattered settlements separated by long distances.ii. Each settlement grew around the nucleus of a temple and has its own history. The most important area

at that time was Mylapore.iii. There were small settlements in Purasawalkam, Thiruvatteeswaranpetta, Egmore, Nungambakkam, and

Saidapet. Among the suburbs, Tiruvottiyur, Velachery, Tiruneermalai, Mangadu, Padi, Poonamallee,Kunnathur, Ayanavarum, Vyasarpadi, Villivakkam, Ambattur, Koyambedu etc. already existed.

iv. Each of these villages was self-contained and had its own agricultural production and householdindustries. The changing rulers in the region never interfered with them; with the result that life in thevillages continued to exist without much change.

v. Important lines of communication linked these settlements. Egmore, Purasawalkam and Aminjikarai liealong Poonamallee High Road. Triplicane and Mylapore lie along a road leading to Tiruvanmiyur. Theseroads were just earthen cart tracks.

vi. Within a few years of the founding of the British settlement and the construction of a Fort at the site, theNew Town, which had grown up around it, came to be known as Chennapatnam in honour of the father ofthe local chieftain. This name was later applied to the whole city.

vii. The population, which was 19,000 in 1646, expanded to 40,000 in 1669.

? Each of these villages was self-contained and mostly planned around atemple as an identity? Had its own agricultural productionand household industries? Important lines of communicationlinked these settlements- PH Road,Santhome high Road, LB Road

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i. A bridge was constructed in 1710 across the cut between the two rivers, the Cooum and Elambore . ThePrincipal road to Egmore from that time up to 1931 had been the road in front of the present Central Jail.In this era there was a lot of building activity (a redoubt at Egmore, a bridge and churches at the Fort andmany private buildings in and around the Fort).

ii. Due to congestion inside the Fort, the British constructed some garden houses in what is known asPeddanaickenpet.

iii. In 1733 there was a lot of congestion in George Town and the weaving Community started settling inChintadripet area and Collepetta near Tiruvottiyur since abundant open space was available there forweaving.

iv. The washer men who were in the Mint area then moved towards the west.v. The Potters from this area moved outside the Fort on the north side and formed a new colony (Kosapet).

vi. Because of the construction of a bridge in 1710 to connect Egmore, people moved towards the presentMoore Market area and settled.

vii. During this time, the British found that Triplicane was a good area for settlement and a large number ofpeople moved there.

viii. The presence of the Nawab of Arcot increased the economic prosperity of the area and more and moreMuslims settled in Triplicane. So from that time onwards, it grew in importance, second only, to GeorgeTown.

ix. St. Thomas Mount gained religious importance and Mount Road became prominent with theconstruction of the Marmalong Bridge in 1724.

x. Because the British started living along Cooum River, roads were laid to give access to them and thusMarshalls Road, Halls Road, Montieth Road and Casa Major Road all became thoroughfares even in 1798.

xi. Mowbrays Road and Royapettah High Road were formed to give access to these people.xii. The land west of George Town was a low-lying swampy area and remained vacant without development.

xiii. The surroundings of the Fort area covering nearly 69 kms and containing within it 16 hamlets wereconstituted as the City of Madras in 1798.

? Lot of communication links betweenthe settlements in the form of bridgesand roads developed.? People started moving in differentdirections according to theirprofessional activities (weaving, potmaking, and trade) and need of space.This also leads to communitydevelopment.? There started a sprawl.? City of Madras constituted in 1798.

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i. After the founding of the Corporation, conservancy and improvement of the City were begun.ii. The City was divided into 8 Divisions and the Government selected 4 Commissioners from residents.

iii. The broad-gauge line from Royapuram to Arcot was laid in 1864.iv. Central station was formed in 1872 and linked to the main line.v. By 1861 the British authorities realised the necessity of a harbour.

vi. A pier was constructed in 1862 and further development took place from 1868 onwards and this leadspeople to settle down at Royapuram.

vii. This gave rise to the establishment of some timber saw mills and depots in Royapuram after a few years.viii. Further the railway line passed through the present Perambur area, which had so far been lying as swampy

waste because of its low level.ix. The introduction of the railway line gave development potential to the hitherto uninhabited places.x. From 1850 onwards, the necessity of providing recreational facilities was perceived. Many parks such

as the Peoples Park, Napier Park and Richardson Park were created in this period. A Museum anda Zoo were also established.

xi. Before 1800, the roads were in a radial pattern, but after 1810 ring roads were developed inside the City.xii. Mount Road was important and access to it was given from Triplicane High Road, Chamiers Road,

Edwards Elliot's Road and Royapettah High Road.xiii. To the North of Mount Road, Pantheon Road, Halls Road, Marshalls Road, Spurtank Road and

Nungambakkam High Road were formed to serve the new residential areas.xiv. Later Brick kiln Road and Perambur Barracks Road connected Poonamallee High Road with Konnur

Road, which was extended towards the Railway.xv. To facilitate trade the harbour was completed in 1896 just to the east of George Town.

xvi. The principal roads leading out of the area in three principal directions connected the northern,western and southern parts of the presidency and they still remain as the main transportationframework for the City.

xvii. Railways were also built radiating from the centre in these three principal directions. The building of theharbour was responsible for sand accretion to the south of it and the sea which was washing the rampartsof the Fort at one time was then 2.5 km. away with a wide beach between the land and the sea. A numberof public buildings were constructed fronting this beach early in the 19th century, which still addsdignity to the City.

? founding of the Corporation and citydivided into 8 divisions? Introduction of railways and harbor? Development in Royapuram withtimber mills? Development around the railway lines? Introduction of recreational areas, openspaces and parks? Pattern of radial roads andestablishment of ring roads? Important roads were developed.? Three major principal roads- Radialroads from CBD

Construction of important publicbuildings along the beach still addsdignity.

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Table 4.1 (Continued)Time period and Function of the city and Important Features Elements of Growth changing the City

ImageEarly 20th Century (1900-1941)

i. The city extended over an area of about 70 sq.kms and had a population of 5.40 lakhs in 1901.ii. The demographic growth rates during the previous two decades were 5 per cent and 6 per cent.

iii. Important buildings and structures which are the land marks of the city such as the Fort, theMarina-the road parallel to the sea-and the fronting public buildings, the High Court, the MooreMarket, the Connemara Public Library and other public buildings around it already existed.

iv. George Town was the main business centre but substantial parts of it were used for residential purposes also.v. The main residential areas however were Chintadripet, Triplicane, Egmore, Mylapore, Purasawalkam,

Vepery and Royapuram.vi. Most of the areas outside these settlements were covered by gardens and agricultural lands interspersed

with bungalows of the elite. (Nungambakkam, Chetpet and Kilpauk)vii. Saidapet in the southwest was a separate small settlement.

viii. Both sides of Mount Road to a distance of 5 to 6 kms from Fort St. George were occupied by largebusiness houses, clubs and hotels; industries were few and were located in George Town orPerambur area.

ix. The West of Nungambakkam was covered by the Nungambakkam Tank and this long tank extending inthe form of a crescent for nearly 6 kms covered the west of Nungambakkam.

x. The three railway lines served the city from the north, west and southwest.xi. Introduction of metre-gauge railway between Beach and Tambaram in 1931

xii. Nungambakkam as a planned residential neighbourhoodxiii. By 1941 Madras had developed into a provincial metropolis enjoying the best of both worlds -urban

amenity and rural atmosphere.xiv. The city was mainly a commercial, military and administrative centre for the entire South India.

? Lot of important landmark buildings? Mail business center-George town(CBD)? Development of a lot of Residentialareas? Bungalows, gardens and agriculture landat outskirts? Development along Mount road asbusiness houses, clubs, hotels? Industries at George Town and Peramburarea? The Pattern of the city was that we hadthe CBD, Residential Zones, Businessareas along the transport corridor

(Mount Road). Developed into a provincial metropolis

enjoying the best of both worlds -urbanamenity and rural atmosphere

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Image20th Century (1941-1971)

i. The population of the City increased to 8.6 lakhs by 1941.ii. The city occupied an area of about 80 sq.km.

iii. The city had a good water supply system and most of the areas were sewered.iv. It had quick and cheap modes of transport by trams and electric trains.v. The main roads were wide enough for the road traffic and passed through shady avenues.

vi. The thirty years between 1941 and 1971 saw tremendous growth in population and economic activity inand around the City.

vii. The population first passed the million mark around 1943 and then doubled itself in a short span of abouttwenty years to cross, the two million mark.

viii. In 1950 the boundary of the City was extended to cover 129sq.kms by the inclusion of Saidapet andSembium.

ix. This period also saw the growth of new residential as well as industrial suburbs particularly on the westand south.

x. The five-year plans and the impetus given by the industrial activity in the public sector brought about thetransformation of the City from that of a purely administrative and commercial centre into a metropolis ofnational importance.

xi. The major developments in the industrial field during the post independence era have been, the location ofa number of public sector undertakings. and private sector undertakings.

xii. Concurrently this period saw the deterioration in water supply and drainage services andmushrooming of many slum areas all over the city.

xiii. The setting up of the Tamil Nadu State Housing Board however, helped in the creation of large residentialareas like Anna Nagar on the west and Sastri Nagar on the south.

xiv. The City's boundary no longer remained well defined - the developments extended into the adjoiningareas, particularly, in the north up to Ennore, west up to Avadi and south up to Vandalur.

xv. This growth did not take place in a regulated manner nor did it correspond to the available infrastructurefacilities.

xvi. This fact coupled with the rapid growth of population on the one hand and the increase in number of motorvehicles on the other has given rise to the many problems faced by the Metropolis today.

? Increase in population and Area of the city.? Shady Trees and wide roads? Developments in industrial activities andeconomic rise? Deterioration of water supply anddrainage and mushrooming of slums? Citys boundaries are no longer defined? Developments in all three directions

? Growth is not regulated and is notaccording to the infrastructure facilities.? Increase in traffic and leads to lot ofcongestion.

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Image1971-1991

i. The City is at the core of the metropolitan area and is the centre for all commercial and social activities as wellas a living area for majority of the total population.

ii. Its structure approximated to a semi-circle with extensions in five main directions, the North, Northwest, West,Southwest and South. This is due to the fact that early in the development of the city, George Town andHarbour became the commercial centre of the City.

iii. Naturally all communication lines led to this centre and these in turn were linked with each other producing aradial and ring pattern of development.

iv. When the City grew, lands on the main arteries were much nearer in terms of time needed to reach thecentre than areas, which were away from them, and further expansion took place on these arteries.

v. The economics of transportation has led to formation of development corridors the most important of which areon the west and southwest where, physical conditions were more favourable for development.

vi. The fringe areas in the north, west and Southwest had been the location of large industrial establishments.vii. The Madras Refinery, the Madras Fertilisers, Ennore Thermal Plant, the Ashok Leyland Truck Factory and

many accessory industries are located in the north at Manali and Ennore.viii. The T.V.S. Group of companies, Dunlop Rubber Company, T.I. cycles and the larger industrial estates are

located on the west at Ambattur with the Heavy Vehicles Factory located further west at Avadi.ix. Almost all cinema studios and a number of medium industries including the first industrial estate of the State -

the Guindy Industrial Estate - are located in the southwest between Arcot Road and Annasalai.x. A large industrial estate at Ambattur was located in the West along MTH Road was located in the south at

Vandalur along GST Road.xi. The main residential areas outside the City are along the Southwest closely following the electrified suburban

line and Alandur, Tambaram, Pallavaram are such residential areas.xii. Most of these areas however lack in commercial and public facilities for which they depend on the main

City.xiii. Triplicane, Mylapore, Purasawalkam and also the northern part of George Town and Royapuram are

the old residential areas characterised by street housing (i.e. houses constructed in a row without sideopen spaces) with shopping along main streets.

? Radial and Ring pattern of Developmentas CBD as the centre.? CBD was George town and Harbour? City Growth along the arteries to reach theCBD fast.? Developments on west and southwest dueto favouarable conditions.? Industries at the fringes? Developments of residentialneighbourhoods along the suburbanrailway line.? But most areas lack commercial and publicfacilities and for which the people dependon CBD.? Zoning of different land uses leads to thesprawl and Lack of mixed land use alsoadded to the chaos.? Old residential areas characterized bystreet housing (i.e. houses constructed in arow without side open spaces) withshopping along main streets? New residential areas were with bungalowtypes? The intervening areas developed intomultistoreyed buildings-apartments,offices, hotels etc and were close to CBD? Rural fringes were with agriculture andcasuraina plantations

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Imagexiv.New residential areas of Mylapore and Theagarayanagar had developed with bungalow type houses but

densities here were higher than the exclusive older residential areas of Egmore, Nungambakkam and Chetpet,which lie between these areas and the central business district. This intervening area was developed formulti-storeyed apartments, offices and hotels in view of their relative proximity to the central businessdistrict.

xv.The rural areas fringing the city were generally fertile then, particularly on the north and west where paddy wasraised as an irrigated crop.

xvi.Casuarina wood for fuel was raised all along the sandy coast in the southern part of the metropolitan area.xvii.George Town and its extension southwards into Anna Salai together constitute the central business district

of the City where most of the wholesale trade, specialised retail trade and banking and financialinstitutions were located and where commercial activity was intense.

xviii.More than 2 lakh work places, constituting 48 per cent of the total work places in the Madras MetropolitanArea in 1971 were located here.

xix.Shopping facilities of local significance had developed along almost all major roads.xx.The industrial areas within the City were mainly in the northern and western parts, where they were closely

mixed up with residential developments but new industrial establishments as mentioned were locatedoutside the City limits and many important industries were on the outskirts.

xxi.The main industrial areas are in Ennore and Manali on the north, Ambattur and Avadi on the west, alongAnna Salai and its extension on the southwest. Nearly 40 percent of the industrial work places werelocated on the north and northwestern part of the Chennai Metropolitan Area and over 10 per cent alongAnna Salai and its extensions.

xxii.Public and semi public uses were dispersed but those, which were established earlier, were concentrated in theolder parts of the City such as Egmore and on the Marina. New public offices were located inNungambakkam and on Anna Salai. Public uses, except for higher educational institutions were few in thesuburbs.

xxiii.The radial type of development has created green wedges, the edges of which in some cases penetrate into theCity boundary itself.

xxiv.The main communication routes were lined with industrial establishments and shopping but thedevelopment is diffused and could not be termed "urban" except in uses.The real rural area was not far from these corridors and urbanisation had scarcely touched those areas

? CBD extending towards Mount road with48% of the economic activities along thisand other commercial activities developedalong all major roads.? Main Industries were outside the city areaon the fringes and 10% of it was there onMount road and its extension.? Earlier Public and semipublic spaces wereat Egmore and Marina.? New public offices were atNungambakkom and Anna Salai andmajor educational institutions were onsuburbs

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Image1991-till dateThe main elements of the first master plan strategy were:

i.Restriction of density and population growth in the cityii.Restriction of industrial and commercial developments within CMA

iii.Encouragement of growth along the major transport corridors and developmenta. of urban nodes at Manali, Minjur, Ambattur, Avadi, Alandur and Tambaram

iv.Dispersal of certain activities from CBD and Development of satellite towns, beyond CMA at MaraimalaiNagar, Gumidipoondi and Thiruvallur.

v.TNHB has played a major role in development of large scale neighbourhood schemes; Anna Nagar (about5 Sq.km.), Ashok Nagar and K.K. Nagar (about 7 Sq.km.), South Madras Neighbourhood scheme comprisingIndra Nagar, Sastri Nagar and Besant Nagar (about 4 Sq.km.), etc. had come up with plots/flats meeting therequirements of all sections of the society from HIG to EWS. Under MUDP-I (1977-92), MUDP-II (1983-87) and TNUDP (1988-95) Neighbourhoods at Arumbakkam, Mogappair, Villivakkam, Velachery,Kodungaiyur, Ambattur, Avadi, and Madhavaram etc. were developed within the City and its suburbs.

vi.These large-scale neighbourhood developments of TNHB with full infrastructure acted as catalyst forprivate developments for residential use.

vii.A number of medium and small-scale industrial developments came up in the areas zoned for industrialdevelopments at Madhavaram, Vyasarpadi, Kodungaiyur, Ambattur, Noombal and adjoining areas Pammaland Perungudi.

viii.Industrial estates at Villivakkam, Thirumazhisai and Industrial estate for women enterpreneurs were developedat Morai near Avadi.

ix.Considering the demand, infrastructure availability, potential for industrial developments, the lands alongthe Poonamallee bye-pass road near Poonamallee Town in the west and Old Mamallapuram Road (fromCity limit to Sholinganallur) in the south were comprehensively reclassified for industrial use where anumber of medium scale and small scale industries had come up.

x.Though Vallalar Nagar (George Town) and Anna Salai area have continued as CBD, Mylapore, ThyagarayaNagar, Nungambakkam, and Purasawalkam have developed as Regional Commercial Centres and Adyar,Anna Nagar and Perambur have developed as Regional Commercial Sub-Centres.

xi.Relocation of wholesale activities in Vegetable, Fruit and Flower from CBD to Koyambedu and City busstand from CBD to Koyambedu have been carried out; Iron and Steel Market at Sathangadu wasdeveloped. Truck terminal at Madhavaram was made operational.

xii.Major higher educational institutions are located in the central part and southern part of the City and they continued to expand within their premises.

? Restriction of commercial and Industrialactivities? Encouragement of growth alongtransport corridors and Development ofurban nodes? Dispersal of major activities from CBDarea? Development of satellite towns? Large scale neighbourhood developmentsby TNHB to different sections within thecity and its suburbs? Private residential developments aroundthese neighbourhoods? Lot of Industrial developments inindustrial zones and along the transportcorridor at outskirts of the city.? Along Adayar, Anna Nagar, Perambur)? Shifting of major activities toKoyambedu.? Major educational institutions in thecentral and southern part? Lot of private colleges and medicalinstitutes came up? No agriculture activity? Lot of IT/ITES activities along RajivGandhi Salai? Spill over of this activity along the othercorridors (Pallavaram ThoraipakkamRoad and Velachery and Thambaram Road)

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Imagei. In the last three decades, the agricultural activity within this Metropolis had become absent/ minimal for

various reasons including non-availability of water for irrigation purposes, labour cost, and cost ofagricultural inputs.

ii. Chennai has become one of the preferred destinations for IT / ITES companies that are located alongthe Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), the area popularly known as IT Corridor because of locational advantagesfor the industry such as uninterrupted quality power supply, better transport facilities, accessibility to airport,availability of potable water supply, pollution free environment etc.

iii. These developments are spilling over in the areas in the west along the 200ft. wide Pallavaram -Thoraipakkam Road, and also along Velachery Tambaram Road.

iv. In the large I.T Park at Siruseri, a number of I.T.Parks are being located , and a major bio-tech park has alsocome up.

v. These employment-generating developments resulted in fast development of the areas in the west of thecorridor such as Medavakkam, Jalidampet, Perumbakkam, Vengai vasal, Gowrivakkam,Rajakilpakkam etc. as residential areas.

vi. Chennai is emerging as a major export hub in South East Asia.vii. International car manufacturers such as Ford, Hyundai, and General Motor etc. have established

around Chennai their manufacturing bases to cater to domestic and international markets.viii. New testing and homologation centre for automobile sector with an investment over Rs. 1000 cr. is

being established in this region.ix. Saint Gobain glass factory, Nokia cell phone manufacturing industry at Sriperumbudur, and

Mahindra Industrial Park developed over 1700 acres, near Maraimalai Nagar new town are some of themajor developments around Chennai.

x. All these developments made considerable impact on the structure of this Metropolis.

? Large economic activities accelerated thedevelopment of a lot of residentialneighbourhoods in and around? Lot of big automobile manufacturingcompanies came in and around Chennai

These major developments had aconsiderable impact on the developmentof Chennai

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4.2.2 Conclusion

The City of Madras was constituted in 1798 with the founding

of the Corporation; it was divided into 8 divisions. The introduction of

suburban railways, development in Royapuram with timber mills and the

development of recreational areas, open spaces and parks accelerated the

growth of the City. The establishment of radial and ring roads [with threemajor principal roads- Radial roads from Central Business District (CBD)]and the construction of important public buildings along the beach added

dignity, ever as business areas developed along Mount road. The city enjoyedthe best of both worlds -urban amenity and rural atmosphere, i.e. wide roads

with shady trees. Developments in industrial activities and economic rise,

deterioration of water supply and drainage, and the mushrooming of slums

with no defined boundaries led to development in all three directions.

Growth was neither regulated, nor according to the infrastructure

facilities; hence, it increased the traffic and led to a lot of congestion in the

city. The restriction of commercial and industrial activities in the city,

encouragement of growth along transport corridors and the development of

urban nodes happened. The dispersal of major activities from the CBD areawith the development of satellite towns and large scale neighbourhood

developments by Tamilnadu Housing Board (TNHB) in different sectionswithin the city and its suburbs, helped the private residential developers to

invest near these areas. A lot of industrial developments in the industrial

zones along the transport corridor in the outskirts of the city accelerated its

growth. Plenty of Information Technology (IT) /Information TechnologyEnabled Services (ITES) activities along Rajiv Gandhi Salai generatedactivities along the other corridors, viz, Pallavaram, Thoraipakkam, Velachery

and Tambaram Road. Large economic activities accelerated the development

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of a lot of residential neighbourhoods in and around. The development of big

automobile manufacturing companies in and around Chennai also had a

considerable impact on the development of Chennai. The growth pattern of

Chennai was always accelerated along the transport networks.

4.3 DIFFERENT MAJOR PLANS FOR CHENNAI INDIFFERENT PERIODS AND THEIR POLICIES ON THE

IMAGE OF THE CITY

The process of modern city planning seeks to steer market forces in

city building towards citizens welfare and public good. Zoning and building

by-laws are still among the primary tools of such planning. In addition, master

plans seek to lay out a physical pattern of land use and transportation routes

for the city or the metropolitan area as a whole. Thus, master plans serve as a

guide for public agencies to tailor their sectoral programming to the plans,

while facilitating private investments in the same manner (Second MasterPlan for Chennai Metropolitan Area 2008). The draft master plan for CMAconsented to by the Government was notified in the Gazette on 5.08.75,

and from that date developments have been regulated with reference to the

Master Plan / Development Control Rules.

Though the Madras Town Planning Act was enacted in 1920

itself, and a few Detailed Town Planning schemes were sanctioned for

small areas within Chennai City, no comprehensive plan for the city or the

metropolitan region was prepared (Chennai Master Plan 2008, Vol1,Introduction). The Madras Town Planning Act was superseded in 1971 bythe Tamilnadu Town and Country Planning Act. According to section 17,

sub-section (2) of the Act, the Development Plan may propose or providefor all or any of the matters as per the list, and one important aspect in that

was, the control of architectural features, elevation and frontage of

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buildings and structures- which has not been addressed effectively in the

framework of development regulations in the second master plan, 2008.

Vision 2026 is to make Chennai a prime metropolis, which will be

more livable, economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable, and with

better assets for the future generations (Second Master Plan for ChennaiMetropolitan Area 2008). How this is going to be achieved is not reflected inthe planning policies.

The flat topography, the hot humid climate and the wind directions

have not been reflected in the policy criteria for shaping the built

environment. An outline framework of the different major plans on Chennaiin different periods and their policies on the image of the city is outlined in

Table 4.2.

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Table 4.2 Name of the different major plans of Chennai- year/planning organization with the aim and impact of policy on city image

Name of the different Major plans of Chennai- Year andPlanning Organization and Aim Impact of Policy on City Image

General Town Planning Scheme-1957Madras corporationThe aim of the General Town Planning scheme was to provide for the organised growth of the thenMadras City (129 Sq.km.).The DTP recommended more detailed and extensive studies in depth to becarried out before the scheme could be finalised. Then it was decided to prepare a comprehensivedevelopment plan (which has never been done till now) for the Madras Metropolitan Area and as a firststep to prepare Madras Interim Plan (1967).

No specific policy on imageIndirect influence on the Overall Form

The Madras Interim Plan -1967Directorate of Town planning, Govt. of TamilnaduThe problems of the City were viewed and appraised in the context of the urban area being the firstof its kind; the plan devoted itself purely to physical aspects of development and recommended thatthe fiscal plan should be separately worked out. It was also envisaged that the Master Plan would be incompleted in two stages viz. the preparation of an Interim General Plan in the first instance and aComprehensive Development Plan in the second.


Madras Metropolitan Plan 1971-91 - 1971Multi- agency group and published by RD and LA Dept., Govt. of Tamilnadu (published in 1973)(1) Strategy for physical growth of urban areas(2) Programmes for land acquisition for urban expansion, provision of infrastructure for transport, water

supply, sewerage and drainage, slum clearance, provision of facilities for education, health,recreation and refuse collection

(3) Action to bring revenue base in the area in line with the levels of expenditure and(4) Recommendation on institutional set up required in implementing the Plan.


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Table 4.2 (Continued)Name of the different Major plans of Chennai- Year and

Planning Organization and Aim Impact of Policy on City ImageMadras Urban Development Project - 1974MMDA(now CMDA)The Madras Urban Development Project report represented a further shift towards concentrating on thepositive aspects of managing the development of the MMA and it was concerned primarily withpresenting a package of realistic projects that could be implemented within a period of 5 years. This is thebasis for appraisal of projects under the World Bank assisted Madras Urban Development Project-I (1977-82) executed at a cost of Rs.56 Crores, MUDP-II (1983-88) executed at a cost of Rs.73.9 Crores andTNUDP-I Chennai Metropolitan Area component executed at a cost of about Rs.450 Crores.

No specific policy on imageIdentification of projects and Financefor five years

Master Plan for MMA -1975MMDA(now CMDA)The first Master Plan for CMA laid down policies and programmes for the overall development of CMAtaking a long-term view of the requirements. As stated in its preamble, in particular, it dealt with thefollowing aspects:

1. Trends of Pop Growth2. Economic activities3. Present physical structure and Policies4. Traffic and Transportation policies5. Land use policies6. Infrastructure planning policies7. Policies on sectoral development8. Regulation of the use-zones, the location, height, size of buildings, size of yards, and other open

spaces to be left in and around the buildings, and also regulation of land sub-division, architecturaland advertisement control and preservation of trees, historical and scenic areas and

9. Areas proposed for land acquisitionA metropolitan city was thought to provide for ( First Master Plan, p 22)

Land Use andDR- Overall Form(Satellite towns linked to radialcorridors) and Built form ( p-20)DR was formulated on the builtenvironment on the followingaspects1. Height of the building,2. size of buildings,3. ( FSI)4. size of yards, and5. other open spaces to be left in

and around the buildings, andalso

6. regulation of land sub-division,7. architectural and8. advertisement control and

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Planning Organization and Aim Impact of Policy on City Imagea. Choiceb. Personal interaction and participationc. Comfortd. Efficiency and Environmente. Growth and adaptabilityf. Imageabilityg. Economy in cost

For Imageability examining the planning strategies of Copenhagen, London, Paris, WashingtonDC, Kolkata and Delhi as examples, three alternative forms were thought of for Chennai city. Theywere

i. Ring of Cities,ii. Development along major radial routes along with independent communities detached from

the main body,iii. Development only along the radial corridors with no additional towns, communities around

the mother city.The final proposed form of the master Plan has the advantages of all the three alternativeforms: Development of three satellite towns, one each on the three main radial corridors viaGummidipoondi, on the north corridor, Thiruvallur, on the west corridor and Maraimalai Nagaron the south west corridor were planned, each with a population of 1 lakh

9. preservation of trees,10. historical and11. scenic areasBy regulating? the spacing of buildings,? floor area ratio,? set-backs,? Parking etc. the Plan aimed to

ensure adequate light, air, fireprotection etc. and to prevent over-crowding in buildings and land.

It was observed that the land use planwas in essence a translation into

physical form ofplanning policiesand principles.

Structure Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area - 1980MMDA with Alan Turner and Associates as consultantsEarlier planning in Chennai Metropolitan Area was reviewed and recommendations were made on theoverall planning aspects in different sectors.

No specific policy on image

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Planning Organization and Aim Impact of Policy on City ImageDraft Master Plan 2011- July 1995MMDAThree factors identified for non achievement of the desired spatial pattern were ( DMF for MMA2011, p 138),1. Land use planning, zoning and DR Land use planning being end-state oriented, proved too

rigid and therefore incapable of adapting to evolving needs over time. Zoning of areas intolarge number of exclusive zones failed to take account of the social and cultural basis ofour activity mix.

2. The physical plans are not supported by matching investments3. There were no attempts made to institute a mechanism for investment.

The concept of urbanisable zone is introduced with the intention of opening up large areasof development. It is a general and flexible zoning in which all urban uses except hazardousindustries are permitted. ( p 140)

Lot of regularization schemes wasintroduced and this had a negativeimpact on the built form and theimage of the city.

Second Master Plan-2026- Sep 2008 CMDAIn order to regulate developments, the areas within the CMA have been designated as one of the 10 usezones listed in the Development Regulations (except for areas of specific use, such as Water Body,Forests, Roads, Railways etc.).1. Primary residential2. Mixed Residential3. Commercial4. Institutional5. Industrial6. Special and Hazardous industrial7. Open space and Recreational zone8. Agriculture9. Urbanisable10. Non urbnaisable

DR was formulated on the builtenvironment on the followingaspectsFSB-Front Set backRSB-Rear Set BackSSB-Side Set BackMax BC-Maximum BuildingCoverageMax B ht- Maximum Building HeightFSI-Floor Space IndexPAR- ParkingPE- Minimum Plot ExtentPW- Minimum Plot WidthNF- No of Floors

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Planning Organization and Aim Impact of Policy on City ImageFurther, in the CMA, areas for buildings of special character, such as multi storeyed building areas,continuous building areas, and economically weaker section areas are also designated in the plan.Ecologically sensitive areas zoned include CRZ areas, Aquifer recharge areas, and Red Hills catchmentareas. MRTS influence areas; IT Corridor and areas around Airports are shown as areas of specialcharacter. Development prohibited areas namely Pallikkaranai swamp area, (this has been amendedalready G.O) area around Indian Air Force station are clearly demarcated and shown in the Plan.Planning parameters are framed on the extent of the site, plot coverage, FSI; set back etc. for thedevelopments shall be regulated.In the light of the foregoing strategies and actions the Development Control Rules have now been reviewed andrecast to conform to the zoning and urban structure proposed for the CMA. The major revisions are:i) Permitting multi-storeyed buildings in the rest of the CMA also (excluding the Island Grounds,

approved layout areas, Aquifer recharge area and Redhills catchment area)ii) Redefining special buildings as the ones exceeding 6 dwelling unitsiii) Permitting IT buildings and bio-informatic centers in Mixed Residential, Commercial, Institutional

use zonesiv) Proposing higher FSI of 2.00 for special buildings and group developments with dwelling units not

exceeding 75sq.m. in floor area each in the MRTS influence area between Luz and Velacheryv) Defining the IT corridor along the Rajiv Gandhi Salai (Old Mamallapuram Road)vi) Accommodating working womens hostels and old age homes in Primary Residential areasvii) Proposing transfer of development rights in cases of road widening, conservation of heritage

buildings, slum redevelopments etc.viii) Providing for restricted developments in Aquifer Recharge areaix) Providing for conservation of heritage buildingsx) Rationalising the planning parameters for special buildings with reference to plot extent, number of

dwellings, and number of floorsxi) Revising the parking standards totally based on the recommendations made in recent consultancy

study on parking requirements

SR- Special RegulationsRW- Rain water harvestingIn The spatial strategy and Land useplanning Chapter it is mentioned thatthis metropolitan growth scenario basedon the vision is proposed to be effectedthrough the strategiesa) Encouraging growth outside the

CMA on the main corridors.b) Strengthening the potential for

growth in the three satellite townsof Gummidipoondi, Thiruvallurand Maraimalai Nagar and creationof new ones near Tiruporur in thesouth and near Sriperumbudur inthe west.

c) Creating urban foci in theamorphous developments in theCity as well as in the outlyingmunicipal towns incorporatingcommercial and environmentalhubs, heritage precincts andbuildings to develop interestingcity images. (How, is notmentioned) ( SMP, Vo2 p117)

d) Providing opportunities fordevelopment of composite

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Planning Organization and Aim Impact of Policy on City Imagexii) Reducing plot extent or side setback requirementsxiii) Enlarging the areas of incidental structures that are exempted from FSI calculationsxiv) Including provisions for persons with disabilitiesxv) Allowing Multi-storey Buildings (MSBs) along 12 m and 15 m wide roads with limitations on the FSI

and heightxvi) Reservation of 10% of land for EWS/LIG with dwelling sizes not exceeding 45 sq.m. in the case

of special buildings, group developments, multi-storeyed buildings on lands of extent exceeding1 hectare, either within the site proposed for development, or in a location within a radius of2 kms from the site under reference.

xvii) Allowing additional FSI 0.25 in cases of special buildings and group developments with dwellingunits, each not exceeding 45 sq.km. in floor area.Listing of Heritage buildings and their notification after consultation with the owners, conditionsto be imposed, contents of the agreement to be executed with the heritage building owners, whoget TDR and detailed guidelines for allowing premium FSI etc, will be decided separately.

neighbourhoods on the outer ringroad.

e) Demarcating areas of significantecological and water resourcevalues for preservation andconservation.

f) Instituting specific AreaDevelopment Projects forupgrading quality of life in Citysectors and neighbourhoods.

g) Restructuring the zoningstrategy to promote development.

The purpose of creating an urbanisablezone is to eliminate the unnecessaryfreezing of land uses, which wouldnormally happen if a particular usewhich may not find favour in locating inthat area is specified in advance. Thisurbanisable zone facilitates mostenvironmentally safe urban uses pavingthe way for demand driven developmentsto take place without affecting thequality of life in the neighbourhood.

(Source: Second Master Plan of Chennai Metropolitan area-2026 (Volume I, IIand III) - Sept 2008, Draft Master Plan 2011, Structure Plan (June1980) First Master Plan (1971-1991)

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4.3.1 Conclusion

It is understood that the growth of Chennai city is regulated by

different planning schemes, policies, two master plans and development

regulations framed by the Madras Corporation, Directorate of Town and

Country Planning, and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority

respectively, over the past 53 years. The planning of Chennai city with a

general town planning scheme was started in 1957, and had reached the

second master plan policies in 2008 formulated with land use zoning and

development regulations as the regulatory mechanism for the growth of the

city.

The spatial strategy and land use planning of the master plan

follows zoning and development regulations that pertain to the different

zones, with two dimensional plans. The imageability for the growth pattern of

future Chennai city was thought about in the first master plan of 1975 itself;

this was purely on two dimensional zoning and planning policies. In the

second master plan, the spatial strategy and land use planning policies are, on

encouraging growth along the corridors and creating urban foci in the

amorphous developments in the city as well as in the outlying municipal

towns, incorporating commercial and environmental hubs, heritage precincts

and buildings to develop interesting city images. This research aims to

evaluate the effectiveness of the current development regulations in achieving

the policies on the built environment, with respect to the city images (asmentioned in the second master plan 2026). This research also aims to evolvesuitable recommendations based on the research inferences.

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4.4 THE RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY AND ANALYSIS

The primary survey for the research titled Evaluation of Form-Based Codes and the Image of a city- The case of Chennai, Tamilnadu wascarried out over a period of three years. From the historical study of Chennaias shown in Figure 4.1 and explained in detail in the beginning of this chapter,it is understood, that from 2nd Century A.D to16th century, Chennai hadseparate settlements and each settlement had a temple as an identity. Each ofthese villages was self-contained and had its own agricultural production andhousehold industries. Later in the 17th century, important lines ofcommunication linked these settlements, which led to communitydevelopment and sprawl. The city of Madras which was constituted in 1798,with the founding of the Corporation and the city, was divided into 8divisions. The pattern of radial streets and the establishment of ring streets,with three major streets- radial streets from the Central Business District, andthe construction of important public buildings along the beach added dignity,with the business establishments along Anna Salai.

Figure 4.1 Growth pattern of Chennai from 1623-2010

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With this background of understanding the importance of the majorstreets of Chennai in the development of the overall form and connectivitybetween the different settlements of the city, the research started with areconnaissance survey in identifying the image of the city along the majorstreets of Chennai. As per the urban project formulation and implementationguide lines (UDPFI Guide Lines1996), the streets of city are classifiedaccording to the width of the right of way as Express Streets (61m), ArterialStreets (40-60m), Sub-Arterial Streets (30-40m), Collector Streets (20-30m)and Urban Local Streets (10-20m) as shown in Plate 4.3.

Plate 4.3 Major street networks in Chennai city

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The primary data for the study was collected during the

reconnaissance field survey on either side of the major streets of Chennai city.The survey has been done along one Express road, Rajiv Gandhi Salai;among the four arterial streets in the city, the survey has been done on

three streets, Velachery road, Anna Salai and Grand Southern Trunk Road,

and among the twenty two sub-arterial streets in the city, seventeen sub-

arterial streets have been surveyed, with respect to identify the building

use, building height and number of floors as the three imageability

parameters pertaining to the street, and data was collected through the

primary survey. This data along with the development regulations pertaining

to the street from the second master plan is analysed together, to get an

overall image of the streets.

The major streets of Chennai city and the streets with an identitynumber where the reconnaissance survey has been carried out are shown in

Plate 4.4.

The analysis of the primary data collected on either side of the

street in the reconnaissance field survey along with the secondary data, is

done in terms of the following parameters as shown in Table 4.3. This uses

the input data, output parameter with the detailed analysis, and inference,

along with the maps. The detailed of the data analysed tabulated in the form

of excel sheets are enclosed as Appendix 3.

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Plate 4.4 Major streets where the reconnaissance survey is carried outin Chennai city

Plate 4.4 Major streets where the reconnaissance survey is carried out in Chennai City.

BAY

OF

BEN

GA

L

Recon-surveystreets

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Table 4.3 Analysis of the reconnaissance survey data with inferences

City map showing the data input along the street surveyed and InferenceInput data analysis :Number of buildings per kilometer lengthof the streetOutput Parameter:Building grain and density in each streetsegmentAnalysisLess number of buildings- Coarse Grainand less denserMore number of buildings- Fine Grain anddenserInference:70% of the streets have a good imagerelated to the average number ofbuildings per km length of the street. TheImage is high for medium grain of 30 to50 buildings per sq.km.Input data analysis :Number of building floors per streetsegmentOutput Parameter:The sky line of each street segmentAnalysisSkyline is Low /Medium and HighInference:72% of the streets have a good imagerelated to the average number of floorsper km length of the street. The Image ishigh for medium rise buildings, where thenumber of floors varies from 3 to 5 floors.

Input data analysis :Predominant building use in each streetsegment

Output Parameter:The Building Use Zoning

AnalysisThe predominant use and character of thestreet

Inference:

Only 30% of the streets have a goodimage related to the building use of thestreet. Imageability is high for mixed useactivity rather than single activity for thebuilding.

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Table 4.3 Continued

City map showing the data input along the street surveyed and InferenceInput data analysis :Building Height to Road width Ratio

Output Parameter:The Sense of enclosure

AnalysisOutlines the type of street as ComforTable/Barren /PleasantInference:76% of the streets have a good imagerelated to the enclosure ratio. TheEnclosure ratio between 0.5:1 to 1:1normally provides a well proportionedstreet frontage which indicates a goodsense of enclosure.Input data analysis :Building Height to Front Set Back ratio

Output Parameter:The sky exposure plane

AnalysisWhether good light and air are provided atstreet level

Inference:

35% of the streets have a good imagerelated to the sky exposure plane. Thestreet is provided with good light and aironly if the Building Height to Front SetBack ratio is 1.5 to 2.5.

Input data analysis :Guideline value of different segments of thestreet

Output Parameter:The market demand of different streets

Analysisto understand which street has high demand inthe city

Inference:

33% of the streets have a high demand andguide line value and all these streets are inthe Southern part of the city.

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4.5 SUMMARY

From the reconnaissance survey, it is understood that the city hasdifferent images for different streets. The weighted average analysis is doneby assigning ranks to the different rank values ranging from 1 to 5 (Low valueto High Value) to the six different imageability parameters, such as averagebuilding height, enclosure ratio, average number of buildings per kilometerlength of the street, average number of floors, average building height to frontset back ratio and building use. The ranking values are done by comparing thestandard value. The analyses of the result show the ranking of the streets withvery good imageability and streets with low imageability.

This has further helped in identifying the streets for evaluatingImageability and formulating Form-Based Codes to enhance the Imageabilityand to include more Imageability parameters for the same. The streetsidentified for the evaluation of imageability and formulation of the FBC are,first, the major historical Arterial Street in Chennai, Anna Salai, the mostpopular street along the famous Marina beach of Chennai, Kamarajar Salai,and the four mada streets around the historical traditional KapaleeswararTemple at Mylapore, one of the important traditional neighbourhoods ofChennai city.

study on chennai city

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