The Hindu         05..01.2015   

Decision on notifying master plan to be taken up soon

Government has to take a final decision on notifying the master plan within the next three months, consequent to a court directive.— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

A decision on notifying the Mysore Master Plan 2031 will be taken up soon and a crucial meeting will take place in Bengaluru between the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday.

The Mysore-Nanjangud Local Planning Area – 2031 or simply the ‘Mysore Master Plan – 2031’ was unveiled in August 2012 but is yet to be notified following stringent criticisms against it.

MUDA chairman K.R. Mohan Kumar told The Hindu that both the Chief Minister and the district in-charge Minister have been apprised of the urgency of notifying the plan, without which planning by local bodies would be held up.

‘Govt. to decide’

“The final decision is left to the government to either accept the plan or reject it, though it is unlikely that the entire exercise would be allowed to go waste,” said Mr. Kumar.

Whatever the outcome of the January 8 meeting, the government has to take a final decision on notifying the master plan within the next three months consequent to a court directive, he pointed out.

“The court took cognisance of the delay in notification after a petition was filed and gave eight months time to the government, of which five months is already over,” the MUDA chairman added.

There were more than 1,880 objections to the original master plan document from members of the public, including NGOs and bodies like the Builders Association of India and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), who sought a higher floor-area ratio in the city.

The objections were filed when the BJP was at the helm of affairs in Karnataka. The government incorporated the suggestions and carried out modifications to the original plan. However, there was a new government before the plan could be notified, giving the new MLAs another opportunity to incorporate their suggestions.

Mr. Kumar said the revised document was ready but it had to be notified for legal sanctity.

“It is mandatory for the government not only to place the objections on record but spell out the reasons for overruling the objections. Otherwise the exercise of calling for objections would be reduced to a mockery of public involvement,” said H.V.S. Murthy, an advocate.

The Hindu          01.11.2014  

Ministry asks DDA to expedite mid-term review of Master Plan

The Ministry of Urban Development has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to expedite the process of mid-term review of Master Plan Delhi-2021. This is in pursuance of the direction of Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu to ensure notification of changes required by the end of December 2014.

The progress in respect of the mid-term review by the DDA was on Thursday reviewed by Secretary (Urban Development) Shankar Aggarwal, DDA vice-chairman Balvinder Kumar, additional secretary (UD) Durga Shankar Mishra and senior officials of agencies concerned, including the Delhi Fire Service.

Mr. Aggarwal directed the DDA to place the chapter on environmental issues in public domain by November 3 to invite suggestions and views.

It was decided in the meeting that since by convention, rules applicable to Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone are applicable to Zone-D, the DDA will take the approval of Authority for Zonal Development Plan for Zone-D accordingly.

The issue of municipal agencies and the Delhi Fire Service not allowing construction beyond 15-m height despite a provision of 7.50-m height in the Master Plan was discussed. Delhi Fire Service officials have informed that under the relevant Act, they were required to go by the National Building Code, which refers to a maximum height of 15 m for construction. The fire service and the agencies he concerned were asked to move a proposal to the Ministry for resolving the issue.

Master Plan Delhi-2021, which was notified in February 2007, was to be reviewed within five years, keeping in view the changes during that period. The mid-term review started in 2011, but could not be concluded so far. Further to the mid-term review, changes in the Master Plan will be notified with the approval of the Ministry of Urban Development.

Last month, Mr. Naidu, had taken a serious view of the delay in concluding the mid-term review and directed the Ministry officials to ensure that this exercise was completed quickly and ensure notification of results of the review by the end of December 2014.