05-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Vision 2041: Kovai charts ambitious urban future with master plan
COIMBATORE: The 'GIS-based Coimbatore Master Plan – 2041' aims to create a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban future for the city. It has been crafted by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971. The master plan covers a Local Planning Area (LPA) of 1,531.57 sq km, which includes the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), four municipalities, 21 town panchayats, and 66 revenue villages, accounting for nearly 74% of the district's population.
The focus is on the population, which is projected to rise from the 2011 figure of 24.57 lakh by 2041. Recognising Coimbatore's growing role as a hub for MSMEs, IT, education, healthcare, and manufacturing, the plan outlines development strategies that support economic expansion and environmental stewardship. Feedback from residents, civic bodies, industry representatives, and transport authorities was actively sought through stakeholder meetings, field surveys, GIS-based analysis, and a dedicated website.
The plan also examines the shortcomings of past efforts, such as the 2001 Master Plan and the Kurichi New Town Development Plan. It notes that while residential development fell short of expectations, commercial and institutional growth surged, driven by a service-based economy. Industrial expansion followed its own path along emerging corridors like Avinashi Road, rather than sticking to zoned areas. Learning from these patterns, the 2041 plan proposes flexible zoning, better infrastructure coordination, and dynamic land-use strategies.
