The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) in Tamil Nadu is considering a proposal to increase the floor space index (FSI) for properties located along the Chennai Metro Rail and MRTS corridors. For the first time in the state, the FSI is being proposed to be raised to 6.5, which is a significant increase from the previous maximum permissible limit of 4.87. This move is aimed at promoting commercial development along transit lines, improving accessibility and mobility for employment, and creating affordable housing opportunities in transit-oriented development zones.
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) in Tamil Nadu is considering a proposal to increase the floor space index (FSI) for properties located along the Chennai Metro Rail and MRTS corridors. For the first time in the state, the FSI is being proposed to be raised to 6.5, which is a significant increase from the previous maximum permissible limit of 4.87. This move is aimed at promoting commercial development along transit lines, improving accessibility and mobility for employment, and creating affordable housing opportunities in transit-oriented development zones.
To assess the impact of this proposal, a study was carried out by the Centre for Urban Planning and Policy (CUPP), Centre for Research on Architecture and Urbanism (CAU), and CEPT Research and Development Foundation, all based in Gujarat. The study divided development zones along railway lines into three categories based on the policies and mechanisms followed in cities like Mumbai, Gurugram, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
The first category is the station area zones, which covers plots within a 500-meter radius from entry and exit points of railway stations. The second category is the transit-oriented development area zone 1 (TOD-1), which covers plots along and above the transit lines, as well as plots abutting other corridors identified by CMDA. The third category is the TOD-2, which covers plots within the TOD zone but not falling under the TOD-1 or station area zones.
Under the station area and TOD-1 zones, the FSI limit has been proposed to be increased to 6.5 (up from 4.87) for plots with an area of 3,000 square meters and above, with a right of way of 18 meters. In TOD-2, the study has proposed an FSI of 5.7 for plots with an area of 3,000 square meters and above. The study emphasized that the FSI utilization is influenced by plot size and right of way, and plots less than 3,000 square meters in size will not be able to utilize an FSI of more than 4.87.
FSI rules are implemented in Indian cities to limit the amount of construction that can take place on a given plot of land. The FSI value determines the number of floors that can be built on a plot, with higher FSI values allowing for more construction. For example, an FSI of 1 allows for one floor of 100 square feet to be built on a 100 square feet plot of land, or two floors of 50 square feet each on the same land. An FSI of 2 allows for two floors of 100 square feet on a 100 square feet plot of land, or four floors of 50 square feet on the same land.
The previous comprehensive mobility plan, which is currently being revised, had proposed an FSI of 2.5 along metro corridors and an FSI of 4 along the Outer Ring Road, with the intention of boosting development outside of the municipal limits. The proposed increase in FSI along the Chennai Metro Rail and MRTS corridors is expected to have a significant impact on the development of the region and promote growth in areas that are well-connected to public transportation.
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