Abstract
As per United Nations the Population growth and urbanization are projected to add 2.5 billion people to the world’s urban population by 2050, with nearly 90% of the increase concentrated in Asia and Africa (United Nations, 2014, p. 1). Out of about 7933 urban settlements in India only 3892 qualify to be classified as Census Towns by the Census of India. From 2001 to 2011 the urban population of India has increased major contribution of which was by inclusion of large rural settlements as urban settlements in 2011. In India Urban Planning conventionally has been viewed as land use planning through Master Plan approach or Development Plan approach following the zoning regulations, the development control regulations and bye-laws which are the legal tools of intervention in urban development, creating exclusions of the people and their needs and aspirations, The local governments in India gain importance when the country enacted the 73rd and the 74th constitutional amendment acts (CAA), in 1992. However, in practice, local government autonomy in India is restricted by limited resources. (UN-HABITAT, 2009). Urban local environment as neighboruhoods of household living is the micro habitat in cities. These neighbourhoods are residential area either as planned or traditional form accommodates communities of diverse culture. The social living of the households depends on the physical manifestation of places and spaces arranged for carry out their day to day activities of household members including children, adult, women, men, old age, and differently able persons. Urban neighbourhoods undergo changes in the spaces in the house, building, places in the locality and the overall built form. It is evident from the new trends as rebuilt the spaces and activities becomes challenge in terms of urban resilience to the inhabitants and the local civic authorities. The transformation in the house and building spaces, common places and the built form experienced the residential character change towards commercial and other non- residential uses in the neighbourhood. The social and physical impacts of the spatial transformation demands for rebuild the activities as making redevelopment strategies to resolve the conflict between the residential and commercial spaces towards urban resilience. The efforts from civil society organizations to promote people participation in urban planning are also very limited due to a variety of reasons (PRIA, 2008). So, the need to develop an integrated approach towards community centered redevelopment of the urban local neighbourhood becomes herculean task for the city planners of the local government. The participation and involvement of the local community is essential in rebuild the local neighbourhood. A new planning model on "Participatory Redevelopment" (PD) as an integrated approach developed by the author is followed in the Redevelopment of T. Nagar Project hosted by the Corporation of Chennai, Tamil Nadu State. This project has undertaken by the International consultant JLL-India in association with TOWNSLAND Company from Hong Kong during 2012. The author worked as a social Development expert in the project while working as Professor and Head Dept. of Planning School of Architecture and Planning Anna University Chennai. The PD project used "C-TC-C" Model to follow participation as "Collective-Target Centered-Collective". The PD adopts the approach as FIVE PILLAR SYSTEM (FPS) The above said aspects are the main focus of this paper within the context of T. NAGAR, a residential neighbourhood transforming into a busy retail commercial market area and residential living and parking spaces situated in the midst of the CHENNAI city, the capital of the Tamil Nadu State in India.
