Delhi Master Plan 2047 Notified: 40 Lakh Homes, Unified Parking, 24x7 City

Delhi's 'Master Plan 2047' has been notified, with plans for over 40 lakh new homes, a major affordable housing push, easier redevelopment of old colonies and a unified framework for parking and transport.

The plan, which sets out how Delhi will grow over the next two decades, also envisages a 24x7 city, new education and investment hubs in Narela and Dwarka, land pooling for future housing and ecological restoration of the Yamuna floodplain.

Speaking to NDTV, DDA Vice Chairman N Saravana Kumar said the plan is aimed at making the capital more liveable while meeting its growing housing needs.

"Delhi will become more liveable. We have planned around 40 lakh homes, with a major focus on affordable housing," Kumar told NDTV.

"The lives of Delhi residents will become easier, and they will have better and more facilities for living," he said.

With Delhi's population expected to cross 3 crore by 2047, MPD-2047 focuses on accommodating future growth through redevelopment, higher-density construction around public transport and planned expansion in new areas.

Housing is at the centre of that plan.

40 Lakh New Homes, 18 Lakh Around Transit Corridors

Delhi is projected to need more than 40 lakh additional homes by 2047.

The housing supply is expected to come through redevelopment of existing areas, Transit-Oriented Development, land pooling and affordable housing projects.

Nearly 18 lakh affordable homes are envisaged in Transit-Oriented Development, or TOD, zones.

TOD allows higher-density, mixed-use development around Metro and other mass-transit corridors, bringing homes, offices, shops and public facilities closer to public transport.

Affordable housing will also be developed along High-Density Corridors.

Rental housing gets a push too, with a 50 per cent FAR incentive to encourage accommodation for students, working professionals, migrant workers and low-income groups.

Industrial plots measuring 5,000 square metres and above can also get an additional 15 per cent FAR for workers' housing.

Delhi To Grow Vertically

A major change under MPD-2047 concerns redevelopment of group housing, DDA housing and government housing.

The minimum area required for redevelopment has been reduced from 40,000 square metres to 3,000 square metres, allowing smaller and ageing housing complexes to be taken up for redevelopment.

According to the plan, redevelopment of existing areas could create around 7 lakh additional dwelling units.

Kumar said vertical development will become increasingly important as Delhi looks to accommodate a growing population within its limited geographical area.

"Delhi will now grow vertically. The 18-metre height restriction has been removed," he told NDTV.

Height restrictions will, however, continue in areas where they are required because of aviation, heritage, security or other planning considerations.

'Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan'

The Master Plan also focuses on housing for residents of Delhi's jhuggi-jhopri clusters.

Under the "Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan" approach, eligible residents can get permanent housing at or close to their existing location.

The programme is expected to benefit more than 17 lakh JJ dwellers, with PPP and private-participation models also envisaged.

Delhi's 1,511 unauthorised colonies are another major focus.

Residential buildings in these colonies can be regularised on an "as is where is" basis, without the requirement for conventional layout plans.

The move is aimed at simplifying regularisation and providing greater property security to around 45 lakh residents.

Land Pooling To Bring 12 Lakh More Homes

Delhi's future housing growth will also extend to new areas.

Nearly 200 square kilometres are envisaged for planned urban expansion through the Land Pooling Policy, with the potential to create around 12 lakh homes.

About 600 km of road network is also planned in these areas.

The plan puts emphasis on infrastructure being developed before large-scale construction.

DDA will develop roads measuring 30 metres and wider upfront to improve connectivity and enable planned growth.

A High-Density Corridor is also envisaged along UER-II, with higher permissible FAR in specified areas.

Metro, Buses To Run 24x7, Says DDA Vice Chairman

Parking and public transport are another major focus of the Master Plan.

MPD-2047 provides for a Unified Parking Planning Framework for integrated planning, management and regulation of parking across Delhi.

A Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority is also envisaged for coordinated planning and implementation of transport policies.

Kumar said the focus will be on expanding different modes of public transport while reducing dependence on private vehicles.

"Metro and buses will run 24x7. We will expand all modes of transport, develop multilevel parking and reduce the space for private parking," he told NDTV.

Multimodal transit hubs will also be developed to make it easier for commuters to switch between Metro, RRTS, buses and other modes of transport.

UER-I, UER-II and UER-III will strengthen connectivity within Delhi and with neighbouring states.

Commercial Activity Along Wider Roads

The plan could also change commercial activity across several neighbourhoods.

Mixed-use development will be allowed along eligible roads with a 30-metre right of way and above.

"On roads wider than 30 metres, commercial activity will be allowed on the lowest floor," Kumar told NDTV.

Commercial centres will also become easier to redevelop.

The minimum plot size for commercial redevelopment has been reduced to 1,000 square metres, with higher FAR incentives aimed at attracting investment.

Industrial areas will get more flexibility too, with e-commerce, warehousing, big-box retail, co-working spaces and data centres among the activities allowed.

Narela Education Hub, Dwarka Investment Hub

Narela and Dwarka are expected to emerge as two major new growth centres.

Around 138 hectares in Narela have been reserved for an education hub that can accommodate public and private universities, along with research, skill-development and startup facilities.

Dwarka is being developed as an international gateway and investment hub, with a focus on IT, startups, data centres and other future-ready industries.

The aim is to create new centres of jobs, education and investment beyond Delhi's traditional business districts.

Yamuna, Green Spaces Get Special Focus

The Yamuna floodplain is another major focus of Delhi's 2047 plan.

Nearly 1,700 hectares will be protected, conserved and ecologically restored through 13 major projects.

A 52-km cycle track is also planned along the Yamuna floodplain.

The Master Plan provides for expansion of sewage treatment and sewerage infrastructure to improve water quality, while urban forests, biodiversity parks, ecological corridors and indigenous plantations will form part of a wider green network across the city.

Kumar said the focus will be on protecting the Yamuna while strengthening and connecting Delhi's green spaces.

More Heritage Buildings To Be Protected

Delhi's heritage also finds a major place in MPD-2047.

Around 1,500 heritage assets will be covered under conservation plans, with adaptive reuse permitted for activities such as museums, hotels, offices, libraries and cultural spaces while retaining their historic character.

"More and more of Delhi's heritage buildings will be protected," Kumar told NDTV.

The plan also provides for Cultural Resource Management Plans and incentives to support conservation.