Chennai, Nov 4 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government has initiated an ambitious exercise to prepare comprehensive 25-year infrastructure development plans for 16 urban local bodies, including major municipal corporations, aimed at addressing growing urbanisation, improving civic amenities and strengthening climate resilience.
The initiative, undertaken under the World Bank-funded Tamil Nadu Climate Resilient Urban Development Project, will identify infrastructure deficiencies, assess future requirements and establish a phased investment strategy for sustainable urban development.
Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) has invited consultancy firms to prepare City Infrastructure Development Plans (CIDPs) through requests for proposals divided into five packages.
The exercise forms part of the Chief Minister’s Integrated Urban Development Mission (CMIUDM) 2026-2031, which seeks to modernise urban infrastructure and improve the delivery of essential municipal services.
The initiative covers Chennai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Thoothukudi, Sivakasi, Avadi, Tambaram, Cuddalore, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Salem and Hosur municipal corporations, besides Udhagamandalam special grade municipality.
Under the proposed framework, consultants will undertake detailed assessments of existing civic infrastructure, including drinking water supply, underground sewerage systems, stormwater drainage networks, solid waste management, roads and pedestrian facilities.
The study will also examine the condition of public health facilities, schools, markets, community halls, parks, waterbodies and digital municipal services. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying flood-prone areas, assessing climate-related vulnerabilities and recommending infrastructure improvements capable of withstanding extreme weather events.
Consultants will conduct field inspections, undertake Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, verify municipal records and consult stakeholders to identify infrastructure gaps and establish development priorities.
The exercise will include population projections and assessments of future service requirements over five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years, enabling urban administrations to anticipate increasing demand.
A comprehensive financial assessment will examine the revenue performance of participating local bodies over the previous five years and recommend measures to strengthen municipal finances.
Each city will receive a rolling five-year capital investment plan, identifying priority projects, estimated funding requirements and implementation schedules. Infrastructure interventions will be classified into immediate, short-term, medium-term and long-term priorities.
Officials expect the exercise to provide urban administrations with a structured framework for mobilising investments, improving service delivery and preparing cities for population growth and climate-related challenges over the next quarter-century.
–IANS
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