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The project is located in Chennai, India's fourth largest metropolitan city with a current population of 6.5 million people. The project has the stated goal of investing and carrying out reforms in urban services, finance and governance. A sizeable portion of the funding was directed towards one component in particular - the construction of canals in select areas of the city of Chennai to improve the storm water drainage system. Bank documents state that the project will involve the "substantial displacement" of people living in the "expanded areas" of the Corporation of Chennai. Originally, documents stated that the project would result in the physical and economic displacement of 330 families living or working at the proposed project sites. Following community pressure, this number has been revised down to 81 families.
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Resources needed: Land and structures, including homes and shops
Bank financing World Bank, IBRD Loan, Investment Project Financing
Borrower: Government of India
Amount of bank loan or investment: 400 million USD
Total project cost: 600 million USD
Project Contacts
Name: TNUDF
Contact: Mrs. Anita Praveen
Title: Chairperson and Managing Director Tel: 914428153114
Email: cmd@tnuifsl.com
Consultation
World Bank documents note that its policy requires consultations with "project affected people" and state that consultations with communities to be affected by this project are "in progress" but fail to disclose specific dates or outcomes. Bank documents also state that the final version of the Environmental Impact Assessment/Social Impact Assessment reports, Environmental Management Plan and Resettlement Action Plan in English with a non-technical summary in Tamil will be disclosed online (http://www.chennaicorporation.gov.in/) and in the offices of the borrower and project implementation agencies.
According to the draft Resettlement Action Plan for the project, a Grievance Committee (GRC) will be set up with the following members: The Zonal Officer/Regional Deputy Commissioners of the CoC, "a person of local repute", an elected representative of the ward and an Executive Engineer. This plan further states that Zonal Officers and Regional Deputy Commissioners will primarily handle all complaints, grievances can be submitted in a written form, and all complaints must be resolved 30 days.
ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF WORLD BANK
The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. You can learn more about the Inspection Panel and how to file a complaint at: http://ewebapps.worldbank.org/apps/ip/Pages/Home.aspx.