Draft Regional Plan 2041 for NCR

Context: Recently, NCR Planning Board approved the draft Regional Plan-2041 with some modifications paving the way for a  slum-free National Capital Region with air ambulance facility and high-speed connectivity through helitaxis, road, 30-minute Mass Transit Rail System and inland waterways.
Key Plan

• The Plan lays key focus on multi modal connectivity across NCR through air, road, rail and inland waterway connectivity. 
• It proposes 30-minute connectivity through super-fast trains within major cities of NCR as well as proposes to explore feasibility of 30-minute Mass Transit Rail System from nearest NCR boundaries to Delhi.

New Boundary

• The geographical size of the region will be a contiguous circular region of 100km radius from Rajghat (Delhi). The area in the 100km radius can be developed as a core area.
• NCR is a region envisaged in 1985 for coordinated urban development in and around Delhi.
• The NCRPB covers entire Delhi, eight districts of Uttar Pradesh, 14 districts of Haryana and two districts of Rajasthan. 
• Collectively it covers an area of about 55,083 square kilometres. The regional plan says that population in the NCR is expected to grow to around 7 crore by 2031 and to about 11 crore by 2041 so there is a need to make the region future-ready for sustainable development.

Name of Natural Conservation Zones: The name of natural conservation zones, as introduced in the Regional Plan-2021 will be changed to “natural zones” in the upcoming Regional Plan-2041.

• Empowering States: States will be empowered to decide whether tehsils that fall partly inside the NCR boundary should remain in it or not.
• Slum-free NCR: The DRP 2041 Plan will pave the way for a future-ready, slum-free National Capital Region with an air ambulance facility and high-speed connectivity through helitaxis, road, rail, and inland waterways.
• Improved Rail Connectivity: The Plan proposes to explore the feasibility of a 30-minute Mass Transit Rail System (MTRS) from the nearest NCR boundaries to Delhi.

Other highlights of the Regional Plan 2041

• The priority areas for the Draft Regional Plan are urban regeneration, future ready infrastructure, multi-modal transport and logistics, industries and MSME, economic corridor, tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) and leisure, farm income and traditional economy, skill development and employment, smart and digital NCR and Ease of Doing Business.
• The Plan’s proposal of ToD (Transit Oriented Development) along major transport corridors, high FAR (Floor Area Ratio), TDR (Transferable Development Rights), vertical brown field re-development, mixed land use in old parts of cities and smaller towns to promote medical/educational/tourism hubs, affordable rental housing are transformative in nature and will go a long way in meeting demands of rapid urbanization.
• Water is going to be a scarce resource and the Plan's proposals of decentralized STPs with dual piping and recycled water will address the water scarcity.

Implications of the Move

• If implemented, parts of Panipat in Haryana and Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh will be dropped from the new NCR map.
• The idea is to have a compact area so that the development can be planned in a better manner.
• It will benefit the rural areas, as the state governments can plan for their development in a better manner.

Issues Involved

• The NCR currently spans around 150-175 kilometres, covering entire districts and their rural areas. But with the approval of Regional Plan 2041, areas beyond 100 km are not likely to be the main part of the NCR.
• Lack of access to basic services of water and sanitation and other facilities in the region.
• Other issues included legality of some of the properties, narrow access roads, congestion, conflicts between commercial and residential uses, quality of drinking water and water logging.
• Vulnerability and risks related to disasters such as fire, earthquakes, etc.
• Lack of coordination between multiplicity of agencies like DDA, Delhi Jal Board, Flood and Irrigation Department, and various municipal corporations.

Road Ahead

• The challenge of multiplicity of agencies needs to be dealt with by the government. This will increase coordination and cooperation among these agencies.
• There must be a strict adherence to plans for cleaning of water bodies and drains which has been a challenge for agencies in Delhi for years. Dumping of waste in the Yamuna river also needs to be strictly regulated.