No common master plan for Tricity, Centre clarifies in Parliament

This comes amid a growing clamour, from urban planners and stakeholders, for an integrated framework for the three cities which have been seeing rapid urban expansion, traffic bottlenecks, and strain on resources, over the past two decades.

There is no single master plan for the coordinated development of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, the Centre clarified in Parliament while placing the responsibility of planning on the state governments and local urban bodies concerned.

Under the Smart Cities Mission, projects worth ₹2,694 crore have been completed in Chandigarh, with ₹490 crore in central assistance fully utilised. (HT File)

This comes amid a growing clamour, from urban planners and stakeholders, for an integrated framework for the three cities which have been seeing rapid urban expansion, traffic bottlenecks, and strain on resources, over the past two decades.

Replying to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu on Monday, Minister of State for housing and urban affairs Tokhan Sahu told the Parliament that urban and regional planning is primarily the mandate of urban local bodies (ULBs) and urban development authorities under the 12th Schedule of the Constitution. The Centre’s role, he said, is limited to offering policy guidelines, advisory support and funding through centrally sponsored urban development schemes.

Sahu added that although there is no central-level integrated development plan for the Tricity, states and Union Territories have been advised to adopt a regional planning framework under the Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014.

On infrastructure, the Ministry said substantial progress had been made under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and its second phase, AMRUT 2.0. In Chandigarh, 12 projects worth ₹57.41 crore, covering water supply, sewerage and green spaces, have been completed. Panchkula has completed eight projects worth ₹69.36 crore. Mohali has taken up six projects worth ₹126.11 crore, of which works worth ₹125.91 crore have been physically completed.

Under AMRUT 2.0, six projects worth ₹175.08 crore have been approved for Chandigarh and three worth ₹30.57 crore for Mohali, while Haryana has not yet taken up any projects for Panchkula.

The Centre also said GIS-based master planning is being promoted under AMRUT to strengthen scientific urban planning. Draft GIS-based master plans have been prepared for Panchkula, while Chandigarh has yet to initiate work under the sub-scheme. Mohali is not covered under this component.

Meanwhile, under the Smart Cities Mission, projects worth ₹2,694 crore have been completed in Chandigarh, with ₹490 crore in central assistance fully utilised.