The Indian Express 09.05.2013
DDA clears 26 new areas for development
Agency responsible for regularisation of farmhouses, civic amenities.
Twenty-six villages identified as 'low density residential areas' under the farmhouse policy have been declared development areas by the Delhi Development Authority. A resolution in this regard was passed at a DDA meeting on Wednesday.
This also means that the DDA will be responsible for regularisation of farmhouses and for providing civic amenities in these areas, moves that were opposed earlier by South Municipal Corporation.
"In order to ensure overall integrated development of urbanisable area under the recently approved land pooling policy as well as planned development of low density areas like farmhouses, country homes, etc, it had become necessary to declare villages identified as low density residential areas as development areas of DDA. This proposal was approved by the Authority on Wednesday,'' DDA spokesperson Neemo Dhar said.
The DDA has drawn up a list of 26 villages for development under a policy that seeks to regularise farmhouses built before February 2, 2007, including built-up area beyond permissible limits, by levying penalty charges.
On the issue of sharing revenue from regularisation of these farmhouses — this was a major concern of the municipal corporation — a DDA official said "funds collected through levy for regularisation of existing farmhouses shall be shared by DDA and MCD as per modalities decided by the Centre".
In another development, city hospitals can now get more floor area ratio (FAR) based on the width of the right of way — of the road outside — and subject to no-objection certificates from agencies concerned.
Instead of categorising hospitals on the basis of area and population, the DDA said hospitals will now be categorised on the basis of available floor area per patient and there will only be one category known as 'Hospital' instead of the the existing system of categorisation under the Master Plan 2021.
"Change in the development control norms of hospitals is based on the recommendations of a committee on health care constituted by the Ministry of Urban Development under the chairmanship of Secretary, UD and was approved in the Authority," Neemo Dhar said.
"For plots on right of way (RoW) less than 24 m, FAR of 250 will be allowed. For plots on RoW from 24-30 m, FAR of 300 will be allowed and for plots on RoW above 30 m, the permissible FAR will be 375. But plots falling under the influence zone of major transport corridors like the Metro and BRT will be allowed 50 per cent more FAR,'' she said.
The DDA also approved change of land use — from utility to commercial — in the case of land measuring 27,000 sq m to facilitate development of a Dilli Haat in East Delhi by covering the Shahdara link drain of the Irrigation and Flood Department.
