Image Credit: New Indian Express
Creating a vibrant nightlife, affordable housing and urban regeneration are on cards for the national capital Delhi according to the draft ‘Master Plan for Delhi-2041’ released by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The plan when implemented would place Delhi in line with other megacities of the world.
The vision for the master plan is to “foster a sustainable, liveable and vibrant Delhi by 2041”. Among the principal changes, the plan envisages a vibrant nightlife for the city with special nightlife circuits to be established in business districts and heritage areas. In such circuits, hotels, restaurants and other socio-cultural activities would be permitted to operate for extended time periods. Metro and bus connectivity would also be provided in such areas.
Large parts of Delhi built from the 1940s to 1970s would get regenerated through the reconstruction of plots. The residential FAR (Floor Area Ratio) has doubled since the 1962 master plan which would allow densification of residential areas.
As a major benefit for migrants, students, and single working employees coming to Delhi from across the country, affordable housing will be guaranteed in the city through studio apartments, hostels, dormitories and serviced apartments.
In order to mitigate the problems arising from the densification of residential areas in the central parts of the city, greenfield areas of the city will be developed through a land pooling policy. The DDA estimates that 17-20 lakh housing units can be created through this policy. Areas located on the outskirts of Delhi will get developed into low-density and low-FAR residential areas within a “Green Development Area.”
Sectors like speciality health, tourism and higher education have received a special emphasis under the master plan with an aim to encourage cleaner production, start-ups, innovation and cyber economies.
While ensuring development, DDA also wants to tackle the high levels of air, water and noise pollution which are a threat to the health of the citizens. Preservation of heritage sites has received a major impetus and the draft plan suggests “adaptive reuse” of such sites to prevent their degradation.
The DDA has put the draft ‘Master Plan for Delhi-2041’ in the public domain and has asked for suggestions and objections to the plan from citizens.