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POLICY REVIEW
program of infrastructure plans, in the Third Five be more regulators, usurping
development. The present Year Plan, helped in the the power of the Local
pattern favors the already preparation of Master Plans Authorities.
highly urbanised states. for many cities and town. This
At present, infrastructure was followed by enactment of Promote Low Density—Low
development is following Town and Country Planning Rise Urban Form
demand. The emphasis needs Acts in the States. Several, Delhi Master Plan 2041
to be changed. The policy is Planning and Development has envisaged to contain
to be that infrastructure leads Authorities were also set up to a population of 30 million
development. Accelerated implement the Master Plans. over an extent of 1485 sq.
development of infrastructure Since, urban development has km, the area of Delhi UT. Of
of the low urbanised States received attention and funds this area, about 20% is not
needs to be initiated on a through a number of centrally developable. That means a
priority, to promote higher sponsored schemes, the gross density of 25000 ppsq.
urbanisation in these States, latest being the Smart Cities km. This translates into a net
leading toamore balanced Mission. residential density of about
urbanization pattern. 100,000/ 125,000 ppsq.km.
With all the euphoria, it is
The policy needs to be to a matter of surprise and This is excruciatingly high
promote, enable, and facilitate concern that, as of date, with many negative impacts.
accelerated, directed, and many towns do not have a It is prudent to adopt a
balanced urbanisation, with Master Plan. City Master Plan maximum gross density of
a share of 80%, a size of 1200 (CMP) is an indicator of goals 5000 ppsq.km. This would
million (as per new definition) and objectives. It is a means mean 8% to 10% of the
and a pattern of small and of resource mobilisation, country’s land under urban
medium size towns, with particularly land. It is a guide use for an urban population
PURAs as a strategy. The and moderator of urban form of 1200 million as per new
number of metropolitan cities and structure. It is a creator definition, against the present
is to be limited to 100 by of institutions. It is also an consumption of about 5%.
2070 and their share of urban integrator and coordinator of
population is to be not more inter- sectorial policies and Density, defined as persons
than 30%. programmes. It is an advocate per unit area (saysqkm), is
of the interests of the city. an important index of urban
Promote, facilitate and CMPs is more concerned planning and development.
ensure preparation of Master with outcomes than outputs. It determines the area of
Plans for all urban centers.
CMPs are defined as land to be brought under
Preparation of the first Delhi dynamic. Unfortunately, they development over the
Master Plan (1981), in 1962, have mostly remained static. planning period. It shapes the
generated high excitement Zonal Plans and Local Area urban form and enables urban
and created great interest Plans are mostly absent. The structure. It moulds urban
in City Master Plans. The Master Plans are supposed social cohesion and promotes
100% financial assistance by to be facilitators of growth urban economy. It decides
the central government for and development of the city. resource consumption and
preparation of city master But they have turned out to selects technology. It affects
30 HUDCO-HSMI Publication
