Buildin 9 and Environment, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 265-268, 1991. 0360-1323/91 $3.00+0.00 Printed in Great Britain. (¢~ 1991 Pergamon Press ptc.

Delhi Housing and Planning Experiences

OM KUMAR*

Delhi, the third largest metropolis and the national capital o f India, has a multitude of unique problems. Its experiments over the last three decades would be worthwhile material for study by city planners. Over the years, in order to ensure quick physical development and additional employment generation, the government, inadvertently patronized the creation of industrial/ commercial complexes on an alarming scale in a city which should have logically remained an administrative centre for the country. A number of such decisions have caused a population explosion in Delhi forcing the planning authorities to expand the city limits far beyond its economic threshold. This paper, while describing the role of the Delhi Development Authority (one of the largest planning authorities in the world), introduces some of its recently developed satellite townships which are expected to act as a counter magnet to Delhi. It will be worthwhile for the readers to compare similar experiences whether or not such horizontal sprawl indeed helps to contain population growth and development unless adequately supported by policy decisions. (Ed.)

ROLE OF THE DELHI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

THE Delhi Development Authority (DDA) since its inception in 1962 has been charged with the responsibility of implementing the Master Plan within the capital region of India. Various housing schemes under- taken by the DDA include residential areas, slum areas, cooperative socieities, District Centres, industrial estates, parks and open areas constituting a land area of 47,100 acres. Satellite towns like Rohini, designed for a population of 850,000, and an even more ambitious plan formulated for the Papan Kalan township have been designed to ease the pressure of population and services in Delhi.

The basic objective of the DDA is to ensure planned development and growth of Delhi. The DDA prepared Master Plans for Delhi in the late fifties and early sixties, with the help of a Ford Foundation team from the USA and a parallel Indian team. The Master Plan was prom- ulgated in September 1962. Through the Master Plan the planned development of Delhi was carried out (i) by taking up actual land development and construction pro- grammes and (ii) by development control through zoning regulations as given in the plan and preparation of zonal development plans.

Along with the preparation of the plan, the Govern- ment of India announced an urban land policy with a social content. According to this policy, land is acquired on a large scale for urban activities at different locations for future needs. The pol icy also called for encour- agement and promotion of community and cooperative efforts for city development and to make land available to the economically weaker sections of society. Since the promulgation of the Master Plan in 1962 the DDA has acquired about 47,100 acres of land and developed it for various purposes such as general residential, 16,400 acres;

* Former Vice-Chairman, DDA, India.

265

slum area schemes, 5700 acres; cooperative societies, 4600 acres; institutional and commercial developments, 9700 acres; industry, 2300 acres; parks and open spaces, 7100 acres and other developments, 1300 acres.

HOUSING PROGRAMME

Since 1968 the DDA has introduced a number of hous- ing programmes. Initially the emphasis was on providing developed plots to low and middle income groups. Later on, the strategy changed to providing constructed hous- ing units through different housing schemes. In these schemes the fiats were provided both on cash down and hire purchase. In 1976, a self-financing housing scheme was started wherein payment for the fiat in multifamily housing is made in five instalments during the period of construction.

One of the major programmes of the DDA has been the provision of sites to the urban poor squatting on the public land. In this programme sites of 21 sq. m have been allotted to more than 200,000 families. The services of water supply, sanitation etc. to these plots are common and street lights are provided in the first instance. The plot is allotted with a licence fee of Rs 8 per month. Recently this scheme has been terminated. Due to short- age of land, the emphasis now is on environmental improvement of slums. In the existing schemes of resettle- ment the infrastructure of water supply and sewerage is now being provided at individual level.

ROHINI PROJECT

The growing demand for shelter in Metropolitan Delhi necessitated that schemes with multiple strategies for urban development be launched with the main aim of providing "housing to economically weaker sections of the society". Rohini is one such attempt in an area of 2947 hectares in north-west Delhi. The estimated number

266 O. Kumar

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Fig. 1. Delhi resettlement colonies (1977).

Fig. 2. Details of land developed

General residential 16 400 acres

Slum area schemes 5700 acres

Cooperative societies 4600 a c r e s

InsUtutional and commercial 9700 a c r e s

Industrial 2500 acres

Pork and open spaces 7100 acres

Other developments 1300 acres

by DDA.

of households which are likely to find shelter in Rohini is 170,000 which will account for a population of 850,000.

Rohini is a "symbol of comprehensive multipurpose township" with residence, work centres, health, educa- tion, social and cultural facilities, intensive utilization of land with compact development and large rec-

reational centres, conveniently located with parks and playgrounds. As a measure of social justice, 97% of plots are allotted to the economically weaker sections, low and middle income groups. The standard for dwelling units plotted as well as group housing is based on the means of the respective income groups. The plot size ranges

Delhi Housing and Plannin 9 Experiences 267

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from 26 sq. m to 90 sq. m. Over 30,000 plots have already been allotted.

The residential development of Rohini also includes land allocation to 148 cooperative group housing societ- ies which will provide housing to about 23,000 families. In the group housing schemes, about 42,500 dwelling units are at different stages of design and construction.

PAPAN KALAN PROJECT

Recently, land has been acquired for another major project known as the Papan Kalan project to house about 1 million people. The problem of urbanization and city growth can only be met through big counter magnets of this scale. It will be noted that 1 million population pro- jects call for spaces for future urban activities as the population in Delhi is increasing at the rate of 300,000 per year.

To achieve the objective of creating a balance between the residential areas and commercial need, centres at different levels have been envisaged in the Master Plan for Delhi. These centres are convenient shopping for essential commodities and district centres for city level retail and commercial offices. The commercial centres, being developed by the DDA, would generate about 2 million square metres of commercial space.

OTHER PROGRAMMES

The Delhi Master Plan has envisaged a system of linked up spaces and district parks in the entire urban area of Delhi to match with the proposed pattern of residential densities. Features like the river front, ridge, monuments have to be retained as green areas and, under the district parks, about 7000 hectares of land has been earmarked.

DDA has also introduced the development of city forests. Hauz Khas forest sprawling over about 162 hectares is one such example.

The emphasis during the last three decades was more on development, therefore urban renewal did not get the needed attention. Now serious studies have been con-

ducted for the urban renewal of the historical (dating back to Mughal period) Walled City slums and a four pronged strategy has been worked out based on the fol- lowing policies

(i) commercial decongestion ; (ii) upgrading of physical infrastructure ;

(iii) development of underground parking and traffic management ;

(iv) rebuilding with due emphasis on the conservation of urban heritage.

Studies for the Walled City and other important aspects of the city development have been carried out as part of the preparation of new version of the Master Plan, i.e. Master Plan for Delhi Perspective 2001. It is based on the following concepts :

1. Delhi is to be planned as an integral part of its region. The major part of the urban problems of metropolitan Delhi originates outside and their solution is also beyond its territory. The rapid growth of population and employment can be restricted through restruc- turing of the settlement pattern and the transporta- tion network in the region and through legal and fiscal measures to operate at interstate level.

2. Ecological balance is to be maintained. Delhi has two distinct natural features, a ridge which is the rocky outcrop of the Aravalli Hills and the River Yamuna. Some parts of the ridge have been erased in the central city area. No further infringements of the ridge are to be permitted, it should be maintained in its pristine glory. The River Yamuna is to be made pollution-free through various measures. On the large expanse of its banks large recreational areas are to be developed and integrated with other urban developments so that the fiver becomes an integral part of the city--physically and visually.

3. The central city area is to be treated as a "special area". These areas, developed without plan, are dense and are of mixed land use. Also, the pattern of devel- opment in most of its parts is different from other areas.

4. The city centre is to be decentralized. Presently, the central city areas constitute a strong business centre which tens of thousands of people visit. The 1962 policy of decentralization has been further elaborated. Development of each district centre and directional freight complex would be effective in creating a com- pletely new pattern and city focus.

5. The mass transport system is to be multimodel. The bus, which is the major mode of transit, is inadequate to deal with 1.2 million trips per day by the year 2001. Intra-urban transportation is related to regional transportation. A new railway line to avoid through traffic from Delhi is to be constructed in the region. The ring railway, to be fully utilized for intra-city passenger movement is required to be introduced on higher density corridors. It is planned to intercept goods traffic at the periphery of the urban areas.

6. The urban development will be "low rise high density". In the case of the existing urban area transportation system, the physical infrastructure

268 O. Kumar

will be restructured to accommodate an additional population up to 3 million by the year 2001 and up to 4 million ultimately.

7. The urban development will be hierarchical. It will have five tiers. The first tier is a housing cluster with 50 families; the second consists of 20 such housing clusters ; the third tier is a neighbourhood comprising three such housing areas; the fourth is a community embracing six or seven neighbourhoods and the fifth and final tier is a district constituting five such com- munities. The hierarchical cellular structure with nuclei will contain essential facilities and services at different levels.

8. The urban heritage of Delhi is to be conserved along

with its history. The plan emphasizes modernization with conservation. Some of the old historic areas have been designated as controlled conservation areas. The authority in due course of time shall formulate special plans for the conservation and improvement of these areas.

CONCLUSION

During the last three decades, the Delhi Development Authority has implemented a number of housing and planning projects. We would continue to update our strategy by sharing experiences of others working in other parts of the World.