Gzb: Draft Master Plan-2031 to wait for public objections

Ghaziabad:The implementation of the Master Plan-2031 has hit another roadblock and it may further delay its approval and implementation, officials said on Thursday

Ghaziabad:The implementation of the Master Plan-2031 has hit another roadblock and it may further delay its approval and implementation, officials said on Thursday.

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The officials of the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) said that they have chalked out a proposal for implementing seven transit-oriented developed (TOD) zones and two special development areas (SDAs) along the corridor of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project and a decision has been taken to invite public objections.

The proposed GIS-based Master Plan-2031 was approved by the GDA board in April this year and the authority in August completed hearing of about 1,200 public objections that they received. Thereafter in September, the Uttar Pradesh government rolled out a new policy for TOD and in accordance with it, the GDA prepared a zonal plan which incorporates TOD areas along seven RRTS stations at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Duhai depot, Modinagar (north) and Modinagar (south) besides two SDAs at Guldhar (250 hectares) and Duhai (400 hectares).

“The replies for the earlier 1,200 objections on the draft Master Plan-2031 have been prepared by us and their disposal will happen before a committee of officials. This may take place in November itself. Further, the authority has now decided to invite public objections over the implementation of TOD zones. For this, we are taking a proposal to the GDA board meeting, which is likely to take place on November 14, and a fortnight will be given for inviting public objections on TOD areas,” said Rajiv Ratan Sah, GDA town planner.

The new TOD zones in Ghaziabad, in accordance with the state government’s TOD policy, have been made a part of the draft Master Plan-2031.

A master plan is a broad layout of a city and clearly lays out different areas in accordance with different land uses such as residential, commercial and industrial, among others. The Master Plan-2031 is divided into three parts for Ghaziabad city, Loni and Modinagar/Muradnagar.

“Once the objections on TOD zones are received, they will be disposed of according to a process. Thereafter, the final draft Master Plan-2031 will be sent to the state government for a final approval. So, the implementation may happen by the end of this year and may extend further to next year. Till then, the 2021 plan will remain in effect,” Sah added.

The current Master Plan-2021 was to stay in effect till the end of 2021 financial year, but it is now likely to remain in effect till the Master Plan-2031 is finally drafted and further approved by the state officials.

The proposed seven TOD zones and two SDAs are covered under the 17-kilometre ‘priority’ section of the RRTS project in Ghaziabad. This section will be the country’s first RRTS stretch to commence passenger operations in March 2023.