More homes, taller buildings, bigger metro

NEW DELHI: For Delhi, Thursday brought the master plan the national capital had been waiting for since its previous Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) lapsed in 2021.

Key points

• The plan offers an extra 15% FAR for workers' housing on industrial plots of 5, 000 sqm and above.
• One of the biggest changes is the removal of height restrictions throughout most parts of the city.
• For individuals living in existing built-up areas, the plan sets out a framework for renewal.
• The move is aimed at facilitating planned redevelopment and improvement of existing residential areas.
• The plan additionally provides a regeneration framework for eligible unauthorised colonies alongside the existing regularisation process.

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal unveiled MPD 2047, placing a major thrust on 40 lakh new residential units, with affordable housing at the core, to meet the needs of a projected population of 3.2 crore by 2047.

In practice, the revised blueprint for the planned development of Delhi and its infrastructure allows greater vertical expansion, alongside changes in floor area ratio (FAR) and other building controls. One of the biggest changes is the removal of height restrictions throughout most parts of the city.

In practice, the restrictions will remain in certain areas-the Lutyens' Bungalow Zone, Civil Lines Bungalow Area, Connaught Place and its extension, Zone 'O', covering the Yamuna floodplain and the Ridge, Land Pooling Areas, Low Density Areas, and areas restricted under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the National Monuments Authority (NMA).

For individuals living in existing built-up areas, the plan sets out a framework for renewal. The minimum area requirement for redevelopment has been reduced from 40, 000 square metres (sqm) to 3, 000 sqm. This is projected to provide around seven lakh further dwelling units.

As part of the efforts to renew existing built-up areas such as group and DDA housing, Resident Welfare Associations will be encouraged to register and adopt a redevelopment framework on the lines of the in-situ redevelopment policy. The move is aimed at facilitating planned redevelopment and improvement of existing residential areas.

In practice, the plan additionally provides a regeneration framework for eligible unauthorised colonies alongside the existing regularisation process.

Affordable housing has been given a number of provisions in the blueprint. Khattar remarked affordable housing would be developed along High Density Corridors. To achieve the goal of affordable housing for all, the MPD proposes a 50% FAR incentive to encourage rental housing for students, working professionals, migrant workers and low-income groups.

Workers will have a separate housing provision. The plan offers an extra 15% FAR for workers' housing on industrial plots of 5, 000 sqm and above.

Delhi's public transport network is additionally set for expansion. The MPD envisages a major expansion of the Delhi Metro network to around 695 km by 2047. The Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy has been incorporated to strengthen public transport corridors.

Notably, the plan additionally recognises new forms of economic activity. Data centres, co-working areas and cloud kitchens constitute a new economies category. Khattar remarked its implementation would be more effective compared to previous master aims since there was now a triple-engine administration. Delhi Master Plan 2047 gets L-G stamp, roadmap fixed.

For now, more homes, taller buildings, bigger metro remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.