High-level panel sets planning agenda for cities and towns

The committee’s 84-page report titled ‘Pathways to Amrit Kaal’, with broad recommendations, was submitted in April and the panel’s first meeting with the ministry was held on June 19

Setting up an IAS and IPS-like service in the field of urban planning, a national and regional urban planning authority with the Prime Minister as its head, central support to placement of qualified urban planners in the states and cities and modernisation of state town planning laws are some of the key recommendations by a high-level committee (HLC) set up by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA).

The committee has recommended setting up of an autonomous National Urban and Regional Planning Authority in line with Centre for Liveable Cities of Singapore. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

The move to set up HLC was announced in the Union Budget last year, and MoHUA set up the panel soon after. The committee’s 84-page report titled ‘Pathways to Amrit Kaal’, with broad recommendations, was submitted in April and the panel’s first meeting with the ministry was held on June 19, according to a MoHUA official who asked not to be named.

Manoj Joshi, secretary, MoHUA, said the committee will hold a meeting with all states in July to discuss the recommendations and review the progress on the urban reform packages rolled out in the last two years.

“We are examining the report and discussing the way forward. We will be meeting representatives of states within a month to take it up with the states. Much of the recommendations are already covered in the urban reforms package that has been rolled out for the states. Since planning is a state subject, we have been nudging the states towards better urban planning through economic support and funding as well as other means,” Joshi said.

HT has seen a copy of the report.

For ringing in the reforms in urban planning sector, the HLC has made 11 broad recommendations with approximate budget for every measure, of which 10 are expected to be rolled out immediately, beginning this year, the first official said.

The recommendations for immediate action include modernisation of state recruitment rules and filling of the sanctioned posts for urban planners, Nagar Niyojak Scheme (central support to placement of qualified urban planners in the states and cities), national framework for professional certification (CUPI), countrywide institutional network of grid (NUPRA), modernisation of state town planning legislations, national urban research and innovation fund, all-India urban planning service and town and country planners’ bill, accelerated urban capacity building programme for central and administrative leaders, launch of annual platform of India urban forum and national communication and outreach on cities. One mid-term recommendation is urban planning institutional streamlining at the central level which can be initiated by 2024.

The committee has recommended setting up of an autonomous National Urban and Regional Planning Authority (NURPA), in line with Centre for Liveable Cities, Singapore, focusing on the integrated aspects of urban development and management. It would be headed by the Prime Minister, and will function under MoHUA with an urban planner as its CEO.

The authority will have its own corpus and headquartered in Delhi, the recommendations say.

According to the committee’s report, NUPRA would be an apex technical advisory body which will provide guidance to all ministries, departments and agencies on urban and regional planning and development in the country.

It will work on preparation of statutory frameworks for planning, advocacy and communication, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, partnerships and collaborations, and support to modernise state-level urban planning bodies.

The committee also recommended that the Prime Minister launch a structured national urban orientation programme covering 50,000 officers across central, state and district administrations.

“The prevalent legal framework in states on town and country planning is neither contemporary nor capable of unlocking the immense possibilities of our cities. They need to be overhauled. Delays in modernising state town and country planning laws would continue to hold India back from willingly embracing our urban future,” the report said.

The committee further specified the mass recruitment of urban planners with the suggestion that the Union government should allocate funds to states over a five-year period to recruit 2,000 urban planners at junior level, 850 at middle levels and 350 multi-disciplinary experts to address the chronic problem of staff vacancies. In its report, the panel said that MoHUA should also incentivise states to modernise cadre and recruitment or service rules for urban planners and designers.

The report also recommends restructuring state town and country planning departments based on guidelines that would be issued by MoHUA and will be supported by a national challenge fund to monitor and incentivise progress. It said that MoHUA should issue model town planning legislative framework and provide funding of ₹2 crore per state to review and modernise their respective legislation.

“In India, we are at an inflection point as more than 50% of our population is expected to be living in urban areas by 2050. We need to train our officials and leadership away from their current orientation towards rural development. The current structure of town and country planners does not represent the face of modern India, and needs to change. We also need a strong partnership with the private sector,” said Keshav Varma, chairman of the high-level committee.

“Over the years urban planning has been so car-oriented that we have been making roads and streets only for cars. There is a big need for safe and continuous walking infrastructure in all our cities,” said Varma.

The committee recommends creating a national economic gateway programme for 25 city-regions, with an allocation of ₹200 crore per city-region per year for a period of five years, along with similar committees at the state level as well led by the state chief minister.

“We recommend the drafting of national urban design standards and bye laws for public space and street design with appropriate legislative backing, and comprising detailed standards for guidelines for right of way, footpaths, cycle tracks, safety and access, crossings etc. Streets and public spaces need to mandatorily adhere to predefined key performance indicators with emphasis on walkability, safety, and inclusion. Building bye-laws to be overhauled on aspects such as setbacks. There needs to be a deliberate and conscious re-orientation away from flyovers and elevated roads,” the report said.

Experts said that just an increase in the number of planners will not solve the problem if the concepts of urban planning are not overhauled.

“Radical revision about the basics of urban planning is far more important than just an administrative redistribution. The problem is not that of a shortage of urban planners and simply increasing their numbers may only compound the problem. The way cities are planned has to be go through a fundamental change,” said KT Ravindran, dean emeritus, RICS School of Built Environment, Amity University.

Other experts said that there are more aspects of urban planning that need better integration, which are being ignored.

“In light of technological advancements, the future demands an even more holistic approach—the integration of transport, land use and energy. Neglecting to incorporate energy in this conversation would mean overlooking significant opportunities and potential for progress,” said Amit Bhatt, managing director (India), International Council of Clean Transport (ICCT).