| Introduction: Describe what is Master Plan of Delhi Body: What are the challenges faced and what are the solutions for inclusive urban development? Conclusion: Conclude with a positive statement. |
The Master Plan of Delhi prepared by the Delhi Development Authority is a visionary document giving the direction of future urban development of national capital. It is based on factors like population, economy, housing, transportation, community facilities, and land use. The focus of MPD-2041 is inclusive development, environmental sustainability, green economy, and infrastructure development.
What Role does MPD play in addressing the complex urbanization challenges faced by the city?
- Illegal Construction: The recent demolition drive near Tughlaqabad Fort shows that illegal construction and encroachment are still portrayed as law and order issues rather than the failure of urban planning.
- Urban planning: Urban planning in India is still formulated using strategies developed in post-war Europe and the US completely under different circumstances and completely neglecting India’s own complex socio-economic and cultural problems.
- Governance: The recent example of Delhi shows that instead of relying on the expertise of urban planners or technocrats the onus is put on courts and police to resolve the issues which highlights a lack of creativity to resolve the management of the city.
- Environment: With almost 20% of its land area under green cover Delhi is among the greenest cities in the country but the distribution of greenery across the city is uneven and hence inequitable. MPD has to take into account pollution challenges across its borders from UP, Haryana from vehicular pollution and stubble burning.
- Water: Delhi being a water scare city faces challenges of encroachment, pollution, and natural drying up of water bodies affecting Delhi’s water resources. MPD ensures that no untreated wastewater and industrial effluents are discharged into water bodies. The plan includes timely monitoring of drains by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
- Institutional challenges: MPD faces challenges from political wings, lack of resources and funds, corruption in different departments, lack of political and bureaucratic will, and multiplicity of agencies.
What are possible solutions for inclusive and sustainable urban development strategy?
- Energy resources: The need is to prepare a Renewable Energy Plan to identify potential renewable energy generation areas within Delhi. MPD also focuses on the mandatory use of star-rated electrical appliances and electrical fixtures in buildings for higher energy efficiency.
- Mobility: MPD ensures last-mile connectivity and infrastructure for walking and cycling in the city. The need is to develop an electric fleet of buses and vehicles to combat pollution.
- Housing: To address the housing needs of citizens MPD provides for new housing inventory and improvement of old housing. The focus is on making housing affordable, safe and enhances the quality of life.
- Disaster Management: MPD plans to reduce damage from disasters by dedicated structural audits, and mandatory clearances from the fire departments.
Conclusion:
There is a need to redefine the concept of urbanization and strengthen civic bodies and make people’s participation in urban governance a necessary condition to make our cities “world-class” cities.
