The Hindu : New Delhi News : New Master Plan dubbed a recipe for disaster

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Sunday, Jan 28, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

New Master Plan dubbed a recipe for disaster

Staff Reporter

"Tailor-made to suit the interests of investors and builders"

NEW DELHI: Eminent town planners, environmentalists and members of civil society on Saturday protested against the proposed new Master Plan for Delhi-2021 at Connaught Place here, describing it as a "recipe for disaster''. They also hinted that the Plan was formulated under pressure from various lobbies with vested interests like real estates and multi-nationals.

"Fraud on the people"

Addressing media persons at the Connaught Place Central Park, former Member of Parliament Kuldip Nayar said MPD-2021 was a fraud on the people and tailor-made to suit the interests of investors and builders. "We will oppose it tooth and nail through satyagraha, dharna and protests," he warned.

Expressing concern over the release of the agricultural belt in Outer Delhi for commercial and other assorted activities, H. R. Suri, former president of the Institute of Town Planners (India), opposed the proposed move arguing that the Capital should not set a bad example for the rest of the country by squandering away fertile agricultural land that was already diminishing and posing a danger to food security.

"Planning process non-participatory"

Referring to the non-participatory nature of the entire planning process, Vikram Soni of Citizens for Preservation of Quarries and Lakes' Wilderness said merely inviting objections from people was no way of participatory planning. "A complete public hearing should be held in all the zones of the city," he said.

Pointing to the limited carrying capacity of the city, Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh, better known as "Waterman", said Delhi did not have its own water and "it was foolish of the planners to further increase the urban pressure without water planning".

"The envisaged plan to source water through a system of tube wells in the Yamuna flood plain area is impractical," he added.

He said that with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana already facing pressure on their water resources it was impractical to expect them to release their share with Delhi.

"16 anomalies"

Town planner Kuldip Singh pointed out "16 anomalies'' in the proposed Master Plan.

He said the new proposed regulations would not only complicate planning issues further but also fuel corruption through "inspector raj'', the scope of which had been substantially enhanced.

Mr. Singh also said that no assessment had been made of the ground reality: "No attempts to integrate the Mass Rapid Transit System into the Master Plan have been made and no safeguards have been provided for preservation of Delhi's natural assets like the river and the ridge.''

Mr. Singh pointed out that the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi had suddenly acquired a financial stake in regularisation of irregularities. "This would lead to extortion and harassment of people at the hands of these agencies.''

As a result of these and other crucial issues being mishandled, he added, the consequence would be environmental degradation and friction between neighbours.

In a symbolic gesture at the gathering, a live brass band played out tunes similar to Beating Retreat. "It was to indicate that with this kind of Master Plan the city could well recede into oblivion," said Diwan Singh of Ridge Bachao Andolan.

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