DDA draft policy for planned development of private lands

Seeking to facilitate public- private partnership, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has formulated a "draft policy" to enable planned development of privately-owned lands, the urban body today said.
The DDA held its Authority meet today under the chairmanship of Lt Governor Anil Baijal, and took a number of important decisions. The L-G is ex-officio chairman of the DDA.
The DDA said that Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 1962 was envisaged as a public sector-led process with very little private participation in terms of development of both, shelter and infrastructure services. The same planning process was substantially reiterated in the MPD 2001.

"Later in MPD 2021, a critical reform has been envisaged in the prevailing land policy and facilitating public-private partnership. And, to bring forward this reform, the DDA has formulated a draft policy to enable planned development of privately-owned lands," the DDA said.
This policy will enable development of privately-owned land parcels through spatial planning and facilitation of basic infrastructure services, thereby integrating these parcels with the adjoining development, it said in a statement.
The draft proposed policy seeks to enable private land owners to develop their land holdings in conformity with the land use, as per the prevailing Master Plan or Zonal Development Plan, and approved layout plan and surrounding scheme with existing development control norms, it added.

"The draft policy would be placed in public domain for inviting objections and suggestions from the public and, thereafter, the policy would be finalised incorporating the same," the DDA said.

The Authority also decided that industrial units or plots with an area of 3000 sqm or above abutting a road of 24 m, right of way and above, shall be eligible for 'Residential Use (Group Housing)' as per development control norms of group housing, subject to payment of conversion charges.
"Required commercial, preferably public and semi-public (PSP) activity for residential population and working space upto 15 per cent of permissible FAR (floor area ratio) shall also be allowed," the DDA said.

Based on the Industrial Policy 2010-2021 for Delhi government, which provides for promotion of knowledge-based industries and service sector activities, the Industrial Department/DSIIDC (Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) had requested for modification in the MPD 2021 for the permissibility of such activities in industrial areas.
The Authority said, modification in MPD 2021 in the chapter on Industry, knowledge-based industries/service industries like software industry, IT Service, ITES, media, biotechnology/medical, research and development, and design, business and educational services, are proposed to be permitted on industrial plots/areas.
The amendment to policy for allotment of DDA community halls was also approved.

"As per the revised policy, community halls within boundaries of housing schemes would be preferably allotted to RWAs of the pocket, if cost of construction is shared by the allottees.
"However, if the RWA is not willing, these would be allotted to other applicants on licence fee basis. Instead of NGOs, registered societies like government, semi-government, autonomous bodies actively involved in social activities in the area would be eligible for allotment," the DDA said.
The decision was taken as some organisations had misused the community halls allotted to them in violation of the provisions and their allotments had been cancelled, the urban body said.