Delhi Plans 40 Lakh Homes, 695-km Metro

 NEW DELHI: Unveiling the Master Plan for Delhi 2047 on Thursday, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal said it envisaged the construction of up to 40 lakh homes and the expansion of the Metro network to 695 km to improve living conditions in the national capital.

Releasing the plan alongside Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, Manohar Lal said its implementation would be more effective than that of previous master plans because the Centre, the Delhi government and the civic bodies were controlled by the same political alliance.

The MPD 2047 envisages the construction of 30 lakh to 40 lakh housing units, expansion of the Metro network to 695 km and permission for taller buildings over the next two decades.

It proposes multimodal transit hubs at Anand Vihar, Sarai Kale Khan and Kashmere Gate, a unified parking policy and relaxed floor area ratio norms for several categories.

Manohar Lal said the plan was aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Referring to the multiplicity of authorities in Delhi, he said earlier master plans did not have the advantage of the same political alliance controlling the different agencies responsible for implementation.

Keeping in view Delhi’s growing population and the need for holistic development, the MPD 2047 would prove to be a milestone in shaping the capital’s future, he said.

The plan focuses on affordable housing to meet the city’s future requirements as its population is projected to reach 3.2 crore.

The minister said restrictions on building height had been removed except in the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone, Civil Lines Bungalow Area, Connaught Place and its extension, Zone O covering the Yamuna floodplain, the Ridge, land-pooling areas, low-density areas and zones subject to restrictions imposed by the Archaeological Survey of India or National Monuments Authority.

For plotted residential housing outside these special zones, the plan prescribes a maximum height of 15 metres for plots without stilt parking and 17.5 metres for those with stilt parking.

“Commercial activities will be allowed on ground floors along roads that are 30 metres wide in residential areas,” Manohar Lal said.

He said rapid development would be undertaken while preserving about 180 square kilometres of the Yamuna floodplains and the Ridge.

“Under the new master plan, 30 lakh to 40 lakh new flats are targeted to be built to support the growing population. Public transport, including Metro rail, buses and six new Regional Rapid Transit System corridors, will also be developed. The transit-oriented development policy will facilitate affordable housing,” he said.

No farmhouses would be permitted in low-density areas, he added.

Data centres, co-working spaces and cloud kitchens have been included in the “new economies” category.

The MPD 2047 allows a maximum FAR of 350 for regeneration schemes incorporating public spaces, schools, healthcare centres, community halls, police posts and childcare centres.

It recommends area-based redevelopment of unauthorised colonies, allowing adjoining settlements to be grouped to improve roads, open spaces and public facilities in some of Delhi’s most densely built areas.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the plan provided a comprehensive roadmap for a Viksit Delhi and aimed to create a more planned, accessible and future-ready capital.

She said it addressed the needs of villages, unauthorised colonies, old residential colonies and market areas while responding to challenges arising from population growth, transportation requirements and pollution.

Gupta said provisions for higher FAR would create new avenues for redevelopment, while simplified norms would facilitate the expansion of urban amenities.

The plan would also strengthen the Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan initiative and support the aspirations of poor families for permanent housing, she said.

Lieutenant-Governor Sandhu said the plan, aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of Sapt-Dhara, provided a roadmap for vertical growth, transit-oriented development and quality housing.

It would also promote knowledge, education and medical hubs while preserving Delhi’s cultural heritage, he said.

Sandhu stressed the need to translate the planning framework into visible outcomes to improve living conditions and build a more sustainable, vibrant and future-ready Delhi.