Master Plan revision to be completed in two months.

The Coimbatore Local Planning Authority is hopeful of finalising the draft for the revised Master Plan for the district in a couple of months.

The plan will take into account the developments expected in the district during the next two decades and the area that will be required for each segment of development (residential, commercial, industrial, infrastructure, etc).

An official of the LPA told The Hindu on Monday that the LPA has completed verification of the changes and developments in 70 villages in the district and has to do so for 80 more villages. Areas coming under the LPA have been revised and now the entire district is covered.

Earlier, there were just 90 villages under Coimbatore LPA. Now it is 250. University students have done a field level survey and the officials of the LPA are now verifying it and also checking with revenue records.

The existing Master Plan for Coimbatore was prepared in 1994. Since it is more than 20 years old the revised plan will have a lot of changes, the official said.

Several applications have been received in the last few years for conversion of land use classification. For instance, there are areas that were once under agriculture. Now, these have been converted to residential plots. Similarly, areas that had industries now have a mix of commercial buildings.

Those changes that have been notified will be incorporated in the revised Master Plan.

Land owners can continue to apply for conversion in land use classification and it will be approved at the district-level and sent to Chennai for final notification. After that it will be changed in the Master Plan, the official said.

THE HINDU