New Delhi: Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) of Housing and Urban Affairs, has said that in the last few years a more holistic view of urban development has emerged that focuses on replacing regulatory ‘control’ based environments with a more enabling ‘strategic’ planning framework, on active citizen engagement and co-creation, on sustainable green growth principles, on compact mixed-use planning of cities and on data-linked governance and service provision. He was addressing a two-day international Conference on ‘Re-Inventing Delhi’ here today. He said, many of the policies of the Government have focused around creating such an enabling environment that can harness not just growth but ‘good growth’.
Lt. Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal, Shri Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary, M/o Housing and Urban Affairs, Vice-Chairman of Delhi Development Authority Shri Tarun Kapoor, Senior Fellow, Marron Institute of Urban Management Shri Pedro B. Ortiz, various stakeholders and experts on Urban planning were present on the occasion.
Shri Puri said, engagements in the preparation of the next perspective planning blueprint for the city of Delhi will help in furthering a process of transformation that has already been initiated by the Government, through many of the progressive national level urban policies and more specifically through several progressive policies/projects that we are implementing in Delhi.
Pointing out that Delhi is symptomatic of the issues that plague metropolitan cities across India- unsustainable spread and sprawl of development (in many cases unplanned and unregulated), lack of adequate basic services like water supply, solid waste management, waste water management, etc., extreme traffic congestion and air pollution due to increase in private vehicle trips, and a general degradation of quality of urban space, Shri Puri said that while we focus on developing our cities as vibrant centres of investment and productivity, we must ensure that such growth is environmentally sustainable and equitable. “In other words, growth that meets the 3Es of sustainable development – equity, economy and environment”, he said.
The Minister said that inability of planned development to catch up with the speed of population growth and increase in demand for planned housing, commerce, industry, etc. has resulted in acute shortage on the one hand, and on the other, it has spurned an entire unregulated supply chain of unauthorized developments that have come up to fill the gaps in the market. “In order to correct this situation, we have initiated the Land Pooling Policy. This is a major paradigm shift towards people-led development where landowners will pool land together, be part of a co-created integrated plan for the sector and undertake development as per requirements”, he added.
He said, the Policy is expected to create a large number of housing units that will cater to Delhi’s unmet housing demand in addition to becoming centres for new institutions, city level green spaces, commercial areas, and cultural centres/entertainment areas for citizens.
Shri Puri said, another important issue for Delhi is the need for regeneration of brown field areas in the city. “Much of this redevelopment must compliment the extensive metro network already established in the city by planning higher densities of people and jobs closer to transit. A comprehensive Transit Oriented Policy (TOD) Policy is being developed and will be implemented shortly”, he said. Strategic implementation of the Policy is expected to yield substantial economic benefits by facilitating the development of new housing stock and economic centres, he added.
Shri Puri informed that conservation and judicious use of resources such as water has been incorporated as an integral part of all our new policies and projects. “This is not just a response to water scarcity in Delhi but symbolic of the new ethos of sustainable and environmentally responsible development that is being inculcated in the city”, he said.
Secretary, MOHUA, Shri Durga Shanker Mishra in his address highlighted the importance of ensuring quality life for the citizens in any future planning. He said, the Master Plan for Delhi 2041 must take into account the need for public spaces, cleaner environment, water and biodiversity conservation, slum re-development, safety and maximizing the potential of Delhi heritage and history. Shri Mishra emphasized on the need to de-congest the city and mobility. He said Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) will go a long way to decongest the city.
Lt. Governor of Delhi Shri Anil Baijal said Delhi Master Plan 2041 must take into account the sustainable environment, citizen engagement in planning at local level, universal accessibility, zero waste mechanism, efficient energy use and constant monitoring and review.
