Nod for TOD, mixed land use policy likely
LUCKNOW: After prolonged deliberations and much delay, the housing and town planning department may give its nod to the proposed transit oriented development (TOD) and mixed land use policy.
However, the nod may come with certain riders under which its benefits would be available to residents of specific areas only.
On November 20, principal secretary, housing, town and country planning department Sadakant has convened a meeting of housing department officials, vice chairmen of development authorities to take a final call on the new bylaws.
“The need to have a relook at the existing bylaws and building norms was being felt for quite some time now what with the spurt in growth and coming in vogue of certain new concepts like the TOD,” said a housing official.
He said the draft bylaws had been sent to housing agencies and development authorities for vetting at their end. “We have asked them to come prepared with appropriate sanction of their respective apex governing bodies so that a final decision can be taken at the meeting,” he said.
While traditional master plan and town planning norms adhered to and relied on strict segregation of residential, commercial and institutional activity and growth, the mixed land use concept seeks to blend and strike a balance between them. Noida, which is governed by industrial policy, took the lead over the housing and town plan department when it introduced a similar policy a year ago.
THE DRAFT BYLAWS HAD BEEN SENT TO THE HOUSING AGENCIES AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES FOR VETTING AT THEIR END
A major shift from a development blueprint that lays down a framework for rigid, if not orthodox, land use planning, the move is likely to come as a relief for thousands of people carrying out non-residential activities from their premises to meet their socio-economic needs. While on the one hand the idea has struck a chord with a large number of professionals and businessmen who can now operate office chambers from their residences; on the other hand skeptics and public crusaders feel the move is fraught with dangers.
“Such a decision would only add to the chaos,” they say pointing out that the policy decision would also perhaps be in contravention of various court rulings prohibiting commercial or any other market activity in a residential locality.
“You cannot check unbridled development by simply making the laws more harsh or stringent. The writing on the wall is clear on how successful we have been in implementing the city’s master plan in an orthodox manner,” he said.
“We have tried to formulate a balanced approach taking into account the growing and genuine need and demand of the people,” he said adding that the concept would require a long drawn procedure including amendment of the existing Urban Planning and Development Act before it would become a reality.