Ministry asks DDA to expedite mid-term review of Master Plan

Saturday, 01 November 2014 06:50 administrator
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The Hindu          01.11.2014  

Ministry asks DDA to expedite mid-term review of Master Plan

The Ministry of Urban Development has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to expedite the process of mid-term review of Master Plan Delhi-2021. This is in pursuance of the direction of Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu to ensure notification of changes required by the end of December 2014.

The progress in respect of the mid-term review by the DDA was on Thursday reviewed by Secretary (Urban Development) Shankar Aggarwal, DDA vice-chairman Balvinder Kumar, additional secretary (UD) Durga Shankar Mishra and senior officials of agencies concerned, including the Delhi Fire Service.

Mr. Aggarwal directed the DDA to place the chapter on environmental issues in public domain by November 3 to invite suggestions and views.

It was decided in the meeting that since by convention, rules applicable to Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone are applicable to Zone-D, the DDA will take the approval of Authority for Zonal Development Plan for Zone-D accordingly.

The issue of municipal agencies and the Delhi Fire Service not allowing construction beyond 15-m height despite a provision of 7.50-m height in the Master Plan was discussed. Delhi Fire Service officials have informed that under the relevant Act, they were required to go by the National Building Code, which refers to a maximum height of 15 m for construction. The fire service and the agencies he concerned were asked to move a proposal to the Ministry for resolving the issue.

Master Plan Delhi-2021, which was notified in February 2007, was to be reviewed within five years, keeping in view the changes during that period. The mid-term review started in 2011, but could not be concluded so far. Further to the mid-term review, changes in the Master Plan will be notified with the approval of the Ministry of Urban Development.

Last month, Mr. Naidu, had taken a serious view of the delay in concluding the mid-term review and directed the Ministry officials to ensure that this exercise was completed quickly and ensure notification of results of the review by the end of December 2014.