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Amid the ongoing debate around scrapping of the proposed airport project at Parandur, the Tamil Nadu government has cancelled the proposed Kancheepuram New Town Development Plan and the Heritage Revitalisation Plan. The project was initiated by the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in 2023.
The Housing and Urban Development issued a government order on August 10, 2026, rescinding the earlier 2023 notification that had proposed these plans for the 2025-2045 period.
What was the Kancheepuram New Town Plan?
In February 2023, the then DMK government had notified Kancheepuram New Town over an area of 62.78 square kilometres covering 18 revenue villages.
The proposal was aimed at ensuring planned development as Kancheepuram expanded particularly towards NH-48.
The government had cited unplanned commercial growth, increasing traffic congestion and concerns over the impact of development on Kancheepuram’s heritage character as reasons for undertaking the exercise.
The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) was subsequently tasked with preparing the plans, which were intended to examine how Kancheepuram and its surrounding areas should develop between 2025 and 2045.
According to reports, CMDA had already initiated the planning process and conducted public consultation meetings as part of the exercise and have reached the stage of preparing the final plan.
However, the government has now rescinded the 2023 notification itself.
Other New Town Plans also in question
The decision has also raised questions over the other New Town Development Plans proposed around Chennai region during the previous DMK government.
New Town Proposals had also been initiated for Thirumazhisai, Minjur, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Maraimalai Nagar and Sriperumbudur.
However, the 2026-27 Policy Note of the Housing and Urban Development department does not contain information on the development plans for these areas.
The government had dropped the proposed Parandur greenfield airport project citing environmental concerns.
