The Uttarakhand capital, which was selected for the Centre’s Smart City project earlier this year, is yet to have its zonal plan in place that forms a detailed blueprint for area-wise development of the city.
Zonal plan lays down area-specific developmental plan within the broad framework of the overall Master Plan and is aimed at ensuring planned growth in an urban area.
Dehradun’s Master Plan was released in 2013, and the city’s zonal plan – one each for the nine zones the city is divided into – was supposed to have been put in place soon after.
However, the proposed zonal plan was brought out only in October last year, after which it drew a series of objections, hearings on which began around two months ago.
“In the absence of a zonal plan, many parts of Doon have witnessed haphazard development over the years, which has already caused much damage to the vision of a planned smart city,” said Devendra Singh Rana, president of the Uttarakhand Engineers and Draftsmen Welfare Association.
Rana alone had raised more than 200 objections on the proposed zonal plan. Ironically, Dehradun’s Smart City proposal has “smart, planned, sustainable city” and “congestion free city” as two of its goals.
{{/usCountry}}Rana alone had raised more than 200 objections on the proposed zonal plan. Ironically, Dehradun’s Smart City proposal has “smart, planned, sustainable city” and “congestion free city” as two of its goals.
{{/usCountry}}Ashish Kumar Srivastava, vice-chairperson of Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), said the process of hearing objections raised on the proposed zonal plans was almost over and that efforts will be made to release it soon.
“As for the haphazard development over the years, we will seek inputs from the town planning department on how to rectify it once the zonal plan is finalised,” he told HT.