CMDA TNC join hands to develop green infrastructure in Chennai

Chennai: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has joined hands with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) India to integrate green infrastructure into Chennai’s Master Plan that will guide the city’s development for the next 20 years.

Both the organisations have signed an MoU here on Wednesday to expedite the work to make Chennai a more environmentally conscious city.

As per official statement, “CMDA and TNC India will implement the ‘Greenprint for Chennai’ to enhance the city’s urban green cover, protect its rivers, waterbodies, and coastal wetlands”.

“The GreenPrint will inform the Third Master Plan for the city, which is currently under development, by integrating natural infrastructure or blue-green infrastructure such as rivers, wetlands, open pervious spaces, green cover to mitigate the effects of climate change and rapid urbanisation and making the city water secure” it said.

The MoU was signed between Anshul Mishra, IAS, Member-Secretary, CMDA and Dr Annapurna Vancheswaran, Managing Director, TNC India, in the presence of Ms Apoorva, IAS.

Speaking on the occasion, Apoorva, IAS, said, “as Chennai grows and expands, it’s important to integrate green planning into the city’s Third Master Plan that will ensure better quality of life for its current inhabitants as well as for posterity.

“We are looking forward to a meaningful collaboration with TNC India to develop a Greenprint, who bring their global expertise and experience to make Chennai a more environmentally conscious city” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Anshul Mishra, IAS, remarked, “by combining CMDA’s expertise in urban development with TNC’s global and local knowledge in conservation and restoration of environmentally significant hotspots, we want to make Chennai a more progressive, inclusive, and global city and the city’s green infrastructure is central to that vision.”

TNC India’s Managing Director, Dr Annapurna Vancheswaran, stressed that, “such an integrated plan that prioritises ecosystem services along with the city’s development goals will be the first of its kind in India, and through this collaboration, we will make significant strides in developing climate smart and resilient cities starting with Chennai.

“With this initiative TNC brings to India its global expertise of implementing similar greenprint projects in other major cities such as Cape Town, South Africa, Melbourne, Australia and Santa Clara and Bridgeport in the US and adapts it to the needs of Chennai” she added.

The signing of this MoU marks a significant milestone in CMDA’s and TNC India’s shared commitment to create a greener, more resilient Chennai.

The partnership will focus on integrating Ecorestoration-based approach into the urban planning structure with assistance in developing a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive Third Master Plan for Chennai.

It also aims to accelerate the restoration of wetlands and watersheds by identifying vulnerable areas for conservation and proposing measures to mitigate the environmental impact of urbanisation and climate change.