Cleared – maniChennai: What is an ideal road? Is a road design code possible for entire Chennai metropolitan area?
Yes, says Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (Cumta), which has drafted a uniform street and road design code for the city. The code seeks to address broken footpaths, frequent road digging, and inconsistent pedestrian infrastructure, and acts as guidelines for four corporations, 12 municipalities, and 13 town panchayats, 1 special grade town panchayat, and 22 panchayat unions.The draft will apply to roads maintained by multiple agencies, including the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), and the state highways department, among 15 stakeholders. “This guideline is significant because each agency currently follows different standards. Some refer to IRC norms, others to MoRTH, and some have their own manuals. A single guideline can standardise road infrastructure across the city,” said Aswathy Dilip, managing director of ITDP India.Cumta member-secretary I Jeyakumar said the initiative is part of the authority’s 25-year Comprehensive Mobility Plan, divided into short, medium, and long-term phases. “In the short term, within a couple of years, we want to implement immediately actionable fixes so that there is at least some level of standardisation in pedestrian infrastructure,” he said.The first draft has been circulated to stakeholders, and revisions will be made based on their feedback. The final version is expected by Feb. “We are pushing to notify this as a govt order so that it becomes enforceable by the second half of next year,” Jeyakumar said, adding that the 350-page document covers the entire project lifecycle, from construction to operation and maintenance.The guideline classifies roads into four categories: arterial, sub-arterial, collector roads, and local streets, and mandates at least 2-metre-wide footpaths on one side of all roads. Space for road elements such as bus stops, parking, and dustbins is mandatory, with a minimum width of 2.5 metres where required. Tree corridors of at least 1 metre, free of utility conflicts, are also mandated, while 2–3 metre-wide cycle tracks may be implemented along select corridors.GCC deputy commissioner (works) V Sivakrishnamurthy said the corporation would begin implementation on collector streets with medium footfall. “A top-down approach starting only with arterial roads will not work. Roads like Venkatanarayana Road can be used to test standardised solutions for footpaths, parking, and bus stops, which can later be replicated elsewhere,” he said.Traffic police have urged Cumta to address pothole repairs and road restoration on priority. “Poor road conditions increase both congestion and accidents, which are two parameters we traffic police look at. Daily coordination meetings between agencies like CMRL, highways, traffic police, and stormwater departments can help ensure quicker fixes especially considering the frequent changes in traffic diversions in the city,” said P Vijaya Kumar, joint commissioner of police (traffic–south).MSID:: 126162333 413 |
