Real estate brokers might have sabotaged city’s master plan

A Facebook post by a town planning official in the wake of Chennai floods has reignited debates on real reasons that led to cancellation of master plan in 2014 which also holds real estate mafia for forcing a freeze on it. In the post, town planner Baiju K, who was associated with the preparation of master plan, rues about the manner in which conservation of green strips so vital to flood control was done away with following the cancellation of master plan and how city could repeat a Chennai-like ordeal in case of heavy showers. 

The master plan had proposed Green to planned development as a guideline for conserving the water retention areas, water carrying canals and the remaining low lying land. According to the official, the low-lying lands were in the hands of real estate brokers which they advanced for cheaper rate and they didn't want any external body to take control over that. 

"What followed was an organized and ill-motivated agitation which finally succeeded in ensuring a freeze on the published master plan by the government. This was the opportunity wanted by the real estate brokers and within no time they subdivided the low-lying lands and sold them," the official writes on Facebook. 

Baiju even adds that the permits given by the corporation after freezing the master plan speaks volumes about it. "I am sad to say that planning failed before political and money power," he said.

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