Delhi’s Regional Plan-2041 To Be Ready In 2 Years

Even as the national capital is slated to become the world's largest metropolis, overtaking Tokyo by 2028, the government has asked authorities to prepare the blueprint for the urban plan of Delhi 2041, in the next two years. The regional plan-2041 is expected to be 'a citizen-centric plan, with liveability as the hallmark, to ensure ease of living'. The plan will address various issues, including transport, water, sewerage, solid waste, power, land use, etc.

What Does The Common Man Expect From Delhi's Master Plan 2041?

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in 2017 brought on board the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) to prepare the Master Plan 2041 for the national capital. Experts of global repute will assist the two in chalking the strategy for future development of Delhi as it readies itself to accommodate more and more people, likely to enter it in the times to come.

"The enabling phase of the project will look at the roll-out strategy for neighbourhood redevelopment through development control regulations, land use, land pooling, land titling, local area planning and governance and coordination required to enable implementation of the plan," the DDA said in a statement.

All fair points, but attention should be paid on what a common man expects from the national capital of future.

• Delhi is the most polluted national capital in the world. Living in the national capital was like living in a gas chamber, the Delhi High Court had observed earlier. Unless concrete steps are taken to curb pollution, things will worsen in the times to come as development activity grows and the population of the city swells. In such a scenario, keeping under control the pollution levels is the biggest challenge authorities face. As has been observed, government-led programmes such as the Clean India Mission have been able to achieve only a limited success so far.

• Those who moved to the national capital in the last decade would have seen the tremendous shift the traffic scenario has taken. In case you plan to travel in your private vehicle, you will invariably get caught in a jam, your location notwithstanding. The national capital's favourite public transport mode, the Delhi Metro, has also begun to disappoint travelers. Rush during peak hours is maddening (this is not to say there is any relief during non-peak hours). Technical glitches have also become usual. More and more localities are getting connected through new links that the Metro is developing. However, how efficiently would it handle the gigantic increase in the traffic is a question that remains answered.

• Delhi's housing market did not see much activity in the last five years, data by the National Housing Board show. When compared to price levels in 2013, rates of property have come down now. (This is not to indicate that property has become affordable in the city for a common man). This is in contract with the market activity seen among peer cities of Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. The reason behind this is obvious ─ Delhi property market is full of old constructions. New developments planned in far-flung areas are failing to attract buyers. What could be done to ensure an even distribution of population across the city? Also, what falls in the category of affordable housing is often not affordable for a common man. Can authorities do something to bring the word closer to its original meaning?