Chennai, July 22, 2026: In a major step towards sustainable urban development, the Tamil Nadu government has approved Rs 10.71 crore to prepare climate-resilient hill area master plans for the state's major hill towns. The initiative aims to improve infrastructure, protect ecologically sensitive regions, and address the growing challenges caused by rapid tourism and urban expansion. The master plans will cover a combined planning area of nearly 1,200 square kilometers, focusing on better road connectivity, traffic management, parking facilities, scientific waste management, disaster resilience, and environmentally sustainable development. The decision comes as many hill towns continue to experience heavy tourist inflow, resulting in traffic congestion, parking shortages, unplanned development, and increasing pressure on civic infrastructure. Popular destinations often witness long vehicle queues during weekends and holiday seasons, affecting both residents and visitors. One of the major concerns identified is poor solid waste management. In several tourist locations, waste is dumped along roadsides or discarded on hill slopes due to inadequate collection, transportation, and disposal systems. The government plans to strengthen waste management infrastructure to maintain cleaner and healthier hill environments. Another challenge is the rapid growth of tourist accommodations without comprehensive long-term urban planning. This has placed additional pressure on roads, water supply, drainage systems, and public services. The upcoming master plans are expected to introduce scientific land-use planning to ensure balanced and sustainable development. The initiative will also prioritize climate resilience, with measures aimed at reducing the impact of landslides, soil erosion, flash floods, and extreme rainfall. Improved slope protection, drainage systems, and environmentally responsible construction practices are expected to become key components of future development. Among the hill regions included in the planning exercise, Kodaikanal has the largest planning area at 488 square kilometres, followed by Valparai (217 sq km), Udhagamandalam (160 sq km), Coonoor–Kotagiri (129 sq km), Nelliyalam (94 sq km), Yercaud (62 sq km), and Gudalur (47 sq km). Once implemented, the Climate-Resilient Hill Area Master Plans are expected to improve tourism infrastructure, strengthen environmental conservation, enhance public amenities, and support sustainable real estate and infrastructure development across Tamil Nadu's hill regions.