Chennai is expanding by the day, nay, by the hour. The metropolis is so large and vast that it has no relevance to what it was a few years back. This is the case with any dynamic urban conglomeration. Many areas of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur Districts have already been brought under the limits of the CMDA.

It is a question of time before we see even Mahabalipuram Poonamallee, Minjur and Chinglepet being brought into the Chennai metropolitan area or the Greater Chennai as one may like to call. There has been a lot of development in several areas outside the present limits of the metro. Sooner or later- sooner than later- these areas would be integrated.



It is hoped the second master plan, which will be released any time now, will take into consideration all these aspects and would lay the foundation for a Chennai that is much larger than what it is at present.

Yet, the infrastructure crunch that the city faces is immense. There is a traffic jam at every signal almost through the day. It takes not less than twenty minutes to cross a signal in the peak hours. Secondly, even in the major crowded arteries of the city, some work or the other is done at every point of time. There are diversion galore, making travelling even more difficult.

No survey is undertaken before planning a fly-over, a sub-way or a toll-gate. Surveys are conducted after they are built.

Secondly, transport connections in a sprawling city like Chennai are woefully inadequate. The Railway lines are already saturated. Thirdly, land prices are rising with little rhyme or reason. Very soon, we will be compelled to resort to telecommuting or tele-working. The only other option will be to get lost in the sea of traffic.