Delhi Master Plan 2047 approved, focus on affordable housing and Yamuna O-zone

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday approved the Delhi Master Plan 2047, paving the way for increased affordable housing and a ban on concrete structures in the core area of the Yamuna O-zone.

The plan has been changed from MPD 2021 to align with the central government’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), at a meeting chaired by Sandhu, also approved amendments to the Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL)-2016 to simplify the building plan approval process.

The amendment seeks to remove the need for no-objection certificates from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Chief Inspector of Factories (CIF), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Forest Department for building permits, officials said.

The move is aimed at reducing the compliance burden and improving Ease of Doing Business, they said.

The MPD is expected to increase housing supply over the next 20 years through the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy, which allows construction of high-rises along metro and rail corridors.

“With Delhi’s population projected to grow significantly by 2047, under the TOD policy in the 10 years around 17 lakh dwelling units will be developed. Large-scale development of sectors in the greenfield areas of the city using the model of land pooling will be part of new MPD,” sources said.

In July, the DDA opened applications for Developer Entity for its TOD policy.

The corridor-based approach covers an area of 207 sq km, extending 500 metres on either side of Metro corridors and within a 500-metre radius of RRTS or railway stations, primarily for provisioning of affordable housing.

To further bridge the gap in dwelling units, residential high-rises in the 250-metre area on either side of Urban Extension Road II may be included in the MPD 2047.

The DDA has also banned construction of any concrete structure in the core area of the Yamuna floodplain.

In the remaining area, which will be part two, only recreational activities will be allowed.

“As per the MPD 2047, there will be a split in O-Zone, no concrete structure will be allowed in the core area of the floodplain, and in part 2 some recreational constructions like parks will be allowed,” an official said.

Under its Land Pooling Policy, wherever there is a right-of-way of 30 metres or above, the DDA will develop the road network, he added.

Sandhu said the new Master Plan will lay down a roadmap “for sustainable and inclusive urban growth, with greater Ease of Doing Business, Ease of Living, and a cleaner, greener capital for all. Delhi has a pivotal role to play in shaping this journey.”

“This reform is aimed at reducing procedural delays and enabling faster project approvals,” he said.

Sources also said that under the MPD 2047, more green areas will be developed in 174 villages of the national capital.

The DDA was working on MPD 2041 after the expiry of MPD 2021, which has now been changed to ‘MPD 2047’.

The plan will now be sent to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, for final approval and subsequent notification.

The first Master Plan for Delhi was promulgated in 1962 under the Delhi Development Act of 1957, followed by the Master Plans of 2001 and 2021.

These plans were prepared for 20-year prospective periods and provided a framework for planned development of the national capital.

At the DDA meeting, Sandhu also decided to introduce a uniform policy for redevelopment of old two-storey residential units built by the agency.

“Developed under MPD-1962, several old DDA housing schemes consist of built-up two-storey units on individual plots that are over 50 years old and structurally deficient. While vacant residential plots have clear redevelopment guidelines under prevailing MPD norms, built-up two-storey units lacked a uniform framework,” DDA said.

In these residential societies, the number of flats can also be increased as part of a redevelopment project, officials added.

With the approval, built-up two-storey units are now granted redevelopment rights on par with vacant residential plots, it added.