Gujarat Approves 7 Town Planning Schemes To Boost Urban Development

In a move that would help boost planned urban development and unlock large land parcels in the state, the Chief Minister Vijay Rupani-led Gujarat government has approved seven new town planning schemes (TPS). Out of the seven, five sites are in Ahmedabad, including two sites in Kathwada and one each in Hanshpura, Ranasan-Muthiya-Chiloda and Vastral. According to media reports, developmental works worth Rs 1,000 crore will soon begin on these five sites that will unlock over 750 hectare of land. The other two approved two planning schemes are in Rajkot’s Nana Mava.

Around 100 TPS for rapid and vertical development were approved by the state government last year, out of which 43 were in Ahmedabad. As a result, over 3,000 hectares of land has been approved for urban planning and development last year. However, around 400 town planning schemes are still awaiting approval.

TPS is a form of land readjustment used for expanding urban infrastructure without compulsory land acquisition but promoted as land pooling activity. The aim of such schemes is to ensure planned development in major urban centres of the state along with small and medium towns.

In Gujarat, to begin work on these schemes, Gujarat CM has directed officials to appoint planning officers for these sites and fast-track implementation of facilities.

Apart from this, the state government has also approved the development plan for the Kamrej-Palsana stretch on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway. The entire stretch will be developed under the town planning scheme while the landowners and developers will get the benefit of floor space index (FSI) of 4 to develop a high-density residential colony. Meanwhile, around 100 hectares of land in Antroli, one of the proposed bullet train station, will be developed as a town planning scheme area with the highest FSI of 5.4.