Multiple agencies hamper application of master plans
UNFULFILLED TARGETS In a fivepart series starting tomorrow, HT will look into specific problems hampering the progress of Delhi’s master plans and analyse issues responsible for their failure
NEW DELHI: The present chaos in the city due to the ongoing sealing drive is a failure of agencies, which are primarily responsible for planning, execution of Delhi Master Plan (MPD) 2021, experts and urban planners believe.
As different stakeholders of Delhi get together yet again to frame guidelines for Master Plan 2041, goals set in previous three plans since 1962 remain unfulfilled, they pointed out.
Arunava Dasgupta, urban planner from School of Planning and Architecture , said the perennial gap between planning and execution is because Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the MCDS don’t work in tandem.
“The two agencies are working separately. One (DDA) is making the plan and other (civic agencies) are following it up. Somewhere down the line, convergence does not take place. Sealing crisis would have been lesser, if the DDA and MCDS had conviction, mechanism and intent to work together,” he said.
As DDA is in process to notify changes in MPD 2021 due to a number of circumstances — sealing drive by Supreme Court appointed committee and public protest seeking enhancement of Floor Area Ratio, commercial use of basements, and reduction of conversion charges — HT from Sunday will take a look at previous master plans for Delhi (1961, 2001, and 2021) and provisions made for organised development specifically in five zones — Walled city, Walled city extension area, Resettlement and unauthorised colonies, villages, New Delhi (Lutyen’s Zone).
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
The first Master Plan of Delhi, 1962, termed the Walled city as a slum, set out the broad vision for its development and laid down planning guidelines to meet the increasing demand of space for commercial and residential use.
Similar policies and recommendations were incorporated in the following master plans. Apparently, with no preparation and equitable approach, the agencies ensured that old Delhi established by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan turned into a slum.
The 1962 Master Plan of Delhi had also recommended limited commercial activities in the Walled City and relocation of hazardous trade markets. But after 56 years, these markets continue functioning from the same locations that has deteriorated the situation in Shahjahanabad and Walled City areas —Sadar Bazaar, Paharganj, Karol Bagh.
Given the circumstances, experts said, the new vision document (Master Plan Delhi, 2041) should be realistic . “Master Plan Delhi, 2021 hardly got implemented because locals did not agree with what was planned,” said KT Ravindran, urban designer and former chairman of Delhi Urban Art Commission.
LACK OF ENFORCEMENT
Unauthorised colonies is another sector in which the government and civic authorities have failed to administer MPD provisions. Despite adequate provisions, they could not curb mushrooming of illegal colonies.
There were about 110 unauthorised colonies in the national capital around 1960s. Those established before 1967, were regularized in 1969.
Many more came up in the next few decades with the Sheila Dikshit government in 2012 legalising 895 such colonies. There are 1,650 unauthorised colonies at present, with about 50 lakh people living in them.
Jagan Shah, director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), too echoed similar views. He said the root of the challenge was to manage the involvement of multiple agencies.
EXPECTATIONS AND SOLUTIONS
AK Jain, former commissioner (planning), DDA said master plans will not yield results unless the multiplicity of authorities was done away with. “The municipal corporations had the responsibility of preparing LAPS but they haven’t finalised them yet. They don’t have efficient Town Planning department. Then how can we expect them to do effective planning?” Jain said.