Delhi LG gives nod to DDA’s 20-year draft plan for city’s development

Lt Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday approved the draft Master Plan for Delhi-2041 (MPD) and said its thrust is on inclusive development, sustainablity and innovative interventions such as transit-oriented development hubs, land pooling, heritage and Yamuna rejuvenation, and regeneration of the city.

The decision was taken during a marathon meeting that went on for more than three and a half hours at the Raj Niwas here. It was chaired by the Lt Governor (LG), who is also the chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), officials said.

The Authority in its meeting, also took a decision for relaxation in guidelines pertaining to woman beneficiaries for in situ rehabilitation under the ‘Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan’ programme, the DDA said in a statement.

The DDA in its Authority meeting, chaired by Lt Governor Saxena “today took major decisions, including approval of the draft Master Plan-2041, which will usher a new era of development and will guide future growth of the national capital”, it said.

The thrust of the MPD-2041 is “inclusive development, environmental sustainability, green economy, infrastructure development that included sufficient housing for all sections of the society, innovative interventions like TOD (transit-oriented development) hubs, land pooling, green area development, and rejuvenation and regeneration of the city,” the LG was quoted as saying in the statement.

The Authority meeting was also attended by Subhasish Panda, Vice Chairman, DDA, and other members of the urban body.

The approved draft MPD-2041 will now be forwarded to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for final approval and notification, the officials said.

The MPD, prepared by the DDA, is a statutory document that facilitates Delhi’s development by assessing the present condition and guiding how to achieve the desired development.

The first MPD was promulgated in 1962 under the Delhi Development Act, 1957. These plans are prepared for 20 years’ perspective periods and provide a holistic framework for planned development of the city.

The draft MPD-2041 is a “strategic” and “enabling” framework to guide future growth of the city, built upon the lessons learnt from the implementation of the previous plans and based on learnings from across the country with respect to implementation of various projects and schemes.

The voluminous draft MPD-2041 has been divided into two volumes, comprising 10 chapters. The vision for MPD-2041 is to “foster a sustainable, liveable and vibrant Delhi”, the officials said.

Creating extensive transport infrastructure, affordable housing for all, healthy environment and “24-hour city” with night-time economy, and checking unauthorised colonies and pollution are part of the guiding principles on which the DDA had laid out the draft MPD-2041.

The vision document largely covers the policies of environment, economy, mobility, heritage, culture and public spaces.

The draft MPD-2041 was first approved by the Authority, the DDA’s apex body, on April 13, 2021, and then made available early June the same year on its website, and public suggestions and objections were invited.

The DDA in 2021 mid-October had said that it had received nearly 33,000 objections, suggestions in the stipulated time period of 75 days.

The advisory council of the DDA, headed by the Lt Governor, in April last year had reviewed the draft MPD-2041, while incorporating the objections and suggestions received from the public.

The last master plan of the city was the MPD-2021.

According to senior officials, in comparison to the previous plan, “the ground coverage has been increased to 40 per cent for Group Housing”.

Also, the floor area ratio (FAR) for commercial activities in hotels has been “increased to 40 per cent”, they said.

Meanwhile, AAP MLA and DDA member Somnath Bharti in a statement said that he has written to the LG, protesting the agenda to pass the draft MPD-2041, and alleged it was passed “in haste”.

He said the last Master Plan had to “undergo over 500 amendments due to a lack of consideration and attention to ground realities”.

Citing lack of time to read through the bulky document of the draft MPD-2041, in order to prepare for the meeting, Bharti had raised the issue of the development of unauthorised colonies and requested for a postponement.

The plan proposes to provide development strategies for strategic hubs and centres, including business promotion districts and TOD nodes, as well as modernisation of existing district centres, the DDA said in its statement on Tuesday.

The MPD-2041 proposes to encourage the development of a night-time economy for safe and vibrant city.

The Master Plan also includes norms for heritage zones, archaeological parks, and cultural precincts, as well as instruments for improving conservation of heritage building to promote Delhi’s rich history and culture.

It suggests for “identification and preparation of conservation and revitalisation management plans (CRMPs) for cultural precincts, permits adaptive reuse of heritage buildings”, the statement said.

The officials said the Master Plan also suggests constitution of heritage cells. The MPD-2041 also proposes to promote the development of cultural and entertainment hubs, and it emphasises on development of city hubs, circuits, plazas, and night time circuits.

Specific corridors and trails will be identified for promoting the night-time economy.

The plan also proposes rejuvenation of the Yamuna River and its floodplain through preparation of comprehensive river development plan for Yamuna, as also enhancing Delhi’s preparedness for climate change impacts and in tackling pollution, the statement said.

Other elements in the vision document include “development of non-ownership/rental housing and affordable rental housing complexes (particularly close to mass transit) with new formats like serviced apartments, condominiums, hostels, student housing, worker housing, etc. to meet housing supply demand in existing developed areas”, it said.

The Master Plan also proposes for preparation of a comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) to integrate land use and transportation, TOD, and strategic mobility corridors for intra-city and inter-city movement, as also parking management and promoting of green mobility, such as use of e-vehicles and e-charging infrastructure, the statement said.

Twenty key performance indicators (KPIs) are suggested for motioning and periodic review of the plan, the officials said.

Other important aspects of the MPD-2041 include increase in ground coverage and FAR for schools, guest houses, hostels, dharamshalas, foreign missions, etc, officialas said.

The Master Plan also proposes increased FAR for schools for upgradation according to the new National Education Policy, they said.

Workspaces in unauthorised colonies, slum rehabilitation schemes and creches, etc., have been planned to support unorganised sector and street vendors, the DDA said.

Walking and cycling tracks and promotion of green buildings and vertical farming is part of the vision document.

(With PTI inputs)