OREANDA-NEWS. To address the growing problems of pollution, congestion and shortage of housing stock for the poor and middle class in Delhi, the Ministry of Urban Development has approved the Transit Oriented Development Policy (TOD) for Delhi. Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has cleared the Policy which is expected to recast Delhi’s landscape as part of review of Master Plan for Delhi – 2021.

TOD is a key policy initiative for low-carbon, high-density, compact, mixed land use  and sustainable development by minimizing travel time for citizens, promoting use of public transport, reducing pollution and congestion, creating more homogeneous neighborhoods, having work places near residences, creating public amenities within walking distances and providing safe environment through redevelopment along MRTS (Mass Rapid Transport System) corridors in the national capital.

A significantly higher FAR (Floor Area Ratio) of 400 will enable vertical construction that is required to address shortage of land availability

TOD policy shall be adopted for development within the Influence Zone (extending up to 500 metres on both sides of MRTS corridors), so that maximum number of people can live, work and find means of recreation within walking/ cycling distance of the MRTS corridors/ stations. However, TOD will not be applicable in Lutyens Bungalow Zone, Civil Lines Bungalows Area, Monument regulated zone, Zone ‘O’ (around river Yamuna) and Low Density Residential Area. TOD zone would comprise approximately 20% of Delhi’s overall area.

            The provisions of TOD Policy include:

·         Development/ Redevelopment in TOD zone will be incentivized by providing significantly higher FAR of 400 on the entire amalgamated plot being developed/ redeveloped. However, these higher norms can be availed only for plots of area of 1 Ha or more for which a comprehensive integrated scheme has to be prepared. In contrast, the minimum scheme area for undertaking redevelopment outside TOD zone is 4 Ha. Within an approved scheme area in TOD Zone, development can be taken up in phases for minimum plot size of 3,000 ? at a time. Minimum scheme area for development by Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) agencies such as DMRC, Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) and Railways will be 3,000 ?.

·         Additional FAR may be availed only through Transferable Development Rights (TDR), for schemes larger than 1 Ha.

·         Entire approved layout plan of a scheme will be included in influence zone if more than 50% of the plan area falls inside the influence zone.

·         It will be mandatory to use a minimum of 30% of overall FAR for residential use, a minimum of 10% of FAR for commercial use and a minimum of 10% of FAR for community facilities. Utilization of remaining 50% FAR shall be as per the land use category designated in the Zonal Plan. For example, in residential use zone, of the remaining 50% of overall FAR, at least 20% will be for residential use and other uses are permitted up to 30%. Similarly in commercial use zone, of the remaining 50% of overall FAR, at least 40% will be for commercial use and other uses are permitted up to 10%.

·         There shall be a mix of Housing types for a wide range of income brackets within communities with shared public spaces/ greens/ recreational facilities/ amenities, which will minimize gentrification and create more community oriented developments.

·         The mandatory residential component covering 30% FAR shall wholly comprise of units of 65 ? area or less. Out of these half of the FAR, i.e. 15% of the total FAR, has to be used for units of size ranging between 32-40 ?. Over and above this, an additional mandatory FAR of 15%, i.e. FAR of 60 has to be utilized for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The size of EWS units will range between 32-40 ?. This is a  significant pro-poor and pro middle class measure which will further the objectives of  ‘Housing For All’ Mission.

·         For example, in a 1 Ha (10,000 ?) plot, the permissible FAR of 400 amounts to 40,000 ?. Out of this, it will be mandatory to provide 30% i.e. 12,000 ? for units of 65 ? area or less. Out of this 12,000 ?, 50% i.e. 6,000 ? has to be used for units ranging between 32-40 ?. Over and above these, it shall be mandatory to use 15% of permissible FAR i.e. 40,000 X 0.15 = 6,000 ? for EWS units ranging between 32-40 ?. Thus, in a TOD development/ redevelopment on 1 Ha area, 18,000 ? (45%) of built up area has to be used for providing housing units for the poor and middle class.

·         20% of land shall be used for roads/ circulation areas. 20% area for green open space shall be kept open for general public use at all times. Further, 10% area of green area may be for exclusive use.

·         MRTS agencies have been exempted from providing the mandatory 30% residential component which is part of the TOD norms applicable to all other Developer Entities (DEs).

·         Computerized single window clearance system shall be adopted for approval of TOD projects.

·         Increase in safety especially for women and children using public transport or walking at night shall be facilitated through changes in key Development Code aspects such as revised setback norms, dispensing with boundary walls, having built?to?edge buildings with active frontages which provide ‘eyes-on-the-street’, etc.

      DDA will notify the regulations containing the details for operationalisation of TOD policy.