Chennai implements school safety pilot and urban development plans

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is launching a pilot ‘Safe Route to Schools’ programme to improve pedestrian safety for children. The initiative will target four neighbourhoods—Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Washermenpet, and KK Nagar—implementing approximately 5 km of child-friendly street networks in each. Redesign measures include traffic-calming tools, continuous footpaths, protected crossings, raised junctions, improved signage, and enhanced street lighting.

This programme is part of the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Development Mission (CMIUDM), which focuses on climate-resilient infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly streets. Additionally, the mission includes an asset monetisation programme via public-private partnerships to develop commercial and community infrastructure on underutilised civic land.

Separately, urban planners and officials from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) have emphasized the need for increased resident participation in neighbourhood-level planning. To manage rising population and housing demands, the CMDA’s Third Master Plan proposes decentralised development, including the creation of six satellite towns at Thirumazhisai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpet, Minjur, Kanchipuram, and Mamallapuram.