MPD-2047: Doors open for 100-plus floor buildings

For the first time, the document explicitly defines structures of more than 100 floors as “tall buildings” and classifies them as “landmark developments”.

New Delhi:The Master Plan of Delhi 2047 (MPD-2047), notified by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs on Thursday, has opened the door for a new generation of high-rise and high-density development in the Capital, including buildings that could theoretically rise to more than 100 floors.

Industry experts said that the approval of the Delhi-2047 Master Plan is an encouraging step for Delhi’s real estate market.

For the first time, the document explicitly defines structures of more than 100 floors as “tall buildings” and classifies them as “landmark developments”.

It envisages such buildings in areas with adequate infrastructure, particularly along mass-transit corridors and in major commercial and mixed-use centres.

“Tall buildings, i.e. structures having more than 100 floors, shall be designed as landmark developments that strengthen the imageability and identity of Delhi’s skyline. Their design shall respond to the surrounding urban context, improve the quality of public spaces and contribute to a distinctive skyline,” MPD-2047 states.

Their design will have to account for Delhi’s historic landmarks, ceremonial avenues, heritage areas and important view corridors. “Delhi’s skyline shall develop in a planned manner while respecting the city’s historic landmarks, ceremonial avenues, heritage areas, and important view corridors,” it states.

The emphasis is not simply on height. The plan says their development should support “compact urban growth”, reduce urban sprawl and promote efficient use of land. It also specifies that tall buildings should use compact footprints to maximise open space at ground level, including public plazas, landscaped areas, pedestrian streets, and green infrastructure.

MPD-2047 also lays down provisions governing basements in high-rise buildings. Basements used for incidental storage, services, utilities or parking will not count towards the floor area ratio (FAR). However, basements used for activities conforming to the designated use of the premises will count towards FAR, subject to statutory clearances.

Basements can extend up to the setback line, free from FAR, to the extent required for parking and services and with prior approval. Multi-level stack or automated parking is also permitted in basements and within the building envelope of high-rise buildings, while parking floors are exempt from FAR.

FAR is the ratio of a building’s total combined floor area across all floors to the total area of the plot it sits on. It effectively caps the height of a building based on how big a plot it sits on.

It envisages high-density, mixed-use development under transit-oriented development (TOD) norms within 500 metres on either side of existing and planned Metro corridors and within a 500-metre radius of nodes around RRTS, railway and high-speed rail stations.

Across other categories, the plan permits FAR of 150-200 for group housing, rising to 300 for affordable rental housing complexes. Hotels can have FAR of up to 375 on roads of 30 metres or more, while community centres have FAR of 200 and colleges/research institutions 225. Government offices and integrated office complexes can have FAR of 300, subject to specified restrictions in some areas.

Redevelopment and regeneration areas will also receive additional construction incentives. The plan permits 1.5 times the base FAR in designated regeneration areas covering residential, commercial, industrial and public-utility areas, allowing greater densification of existing built-up areas.

Among the highest FAR limits has been provided for in-situ rehabilitation of eligible slum and JJ clusters. The prescribed maximum FAR is 500.

“For in-situ rehabilitation areas we have introduced multiple incentives to provide flexibility to make them more financially attractive for private players and for PPP models. There will now be 60% remunerative component, which means that 40% of the area can be used for the in-situ rehabilitation of the residents of the area, while the rest 60% can be used for commercial or other purposes by the developer to earn revenue,” said DDA vice chairman N Sarvana Kumar.

In planned industrial areas, plots of at least 3,000 sqm on roads of 24 metres or more can be converted for group housing. In redevelopment, 1.5 times the permissible group-housing FAR can be allowed, with a maximum FAR of 400 for plots linked to the shifting of hazardous, obnoxious or polluting industries. No height restriction is specified for such conversions, subject to statutory clearances.

Industry experts said that the approval of the Delhi-2047 Master Plan is an encouraging step for Delhi’s real estate market.

“What stands out is the plan’s focus on planned development supported by infrastructure, better land utilisation and a more flexible approach to mixed-use development. This can create a more conducive environment for developers to plan and invest in the city,” said Harsh Vardhan Bansal, president of NAREDCO Delhi.

He said MPD-2047 offered significant potential in both redevelopment and new development by encouraging renewal of older and underutilised areas while allowing planned urban expansion and new housing. “This is a positive opportunity… With better integration of housing, commercial activity, mobility and infrastructure, MPD-2047 can encourage new projects, support investment and contribute to the creation of better and more liveable neighbourhoods across Delhi,” Bansal said.