48 villages to be urbanised in Master Plan 2041: Delhi govt

The government also announced that the first registry of properties falling under the “lal dora” category will be free of cost

The Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma announced on Saturday that the Delhi Master Plan 2041 will lead to urbanisation of 48 villages and allow free registry in “lal dora” areas — village residential areas traditionally used for habitation and exempt from certain land-use.

Water minister Parvesh Verma interacts with farmers at Daulatpur village in New Delhi on Saturday. (PTI)

“Under this ambitious plan, around 48 villages in Delhi will be urbanised, marking a historic shift in the Capital’s development strategy. Urbanisation will not only bring infrastructural growth to these areas but also provide access to essential urban amenities such as paved roads, proper drainage systems, reliable water supply, street lighting, schools, and healthcare facilities,” Verma said. while on a visit to Daulatpur village in southwest Delhi.

Verma also said the Master Plan 2041 is in the final stage and will be implemented soon. To recall, the final draft of the plan was prepared by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and sent to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2022 and has since been awaiting approval. It was also uploaded for public feedback in June 2021 and over 33,000 comments for amendments were received. In April 2022, the DDA reviewed the draft to incorporate the objections and suggestions and several changes were introduced in the plan after the floods in 2023, officials said.

To provide relief to rural families, the minister also announced that the first registry of properties falling under the “lal dora” category will be free of cost. Officials said this is expected to resolve long-pending property disputes and enable people to obtain legal ownership documents without financial burden. It will also help strengthen land rights and bring transparency to rural property records, they added.

“Our goal is not just to create policies, but to implement them on the ground with full transparency and accountability. Master Plan 2041 will change the face of Delhi’s villages and provide the rural population with facilities at par with urban areas,” Verma added.

Plans under the new master plan include making Delhi a 24x7 city, promoting transit-oriented development, better management of public spaces, providing affordable housing along with parking infrastructure and minimising vehicular pollution. Further, it has also proposed more planned commercial spaces, regularisation of unauthorised colonies and green development areas.

Additionally, it also has sections on making water in the city secure, managing solid waste efficiently and disaster preparedness and resilience.

However, MoHUA and DDA have currently not confirmed details on the changes and timeline of the plan.