Delhi’s Master Plan is unreal,revision next year: Kamal Nath

“If the Master Plan had been correctly made,then those illegal constructions in the last 50 years would not have been there. Drawing the Master Plan sitting in office is different from ground reality,” Nath said,while inaugurating Delhi’s first fully automated car park at Sarojini Nagar Market in South Delhi on Thursday.

Nath said drafting the Master Plan of Delhi would be futile if planners did not take into consideration the burden of increased population and rapid development.

“There are provisions in the Master Plan to review it after five years. My view is that the Master Plan should take into consideration the ground reality before finalisation. Since it involves livelihood of people,there should be efforts to take into account people’s concern,” he said.

On the fate of market places that have existed for long in Delhi,but are not recognised as legal entities as per the Master Plan,Nath said: “Those markets,which are existing since last 40 or 50 years… it is wrong for any Master Plan to describe that these markets cannot exist.”

He also said the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Act,known as the Delhi Special Laws,would also be extended next year to prevent demolition of several residential and commercial establishments in the capital city.

The legislation was enacted in 2008 and has been in existence since then on yearly extensions in 2009,2010 and 2011.

On parking woes at Delhi Metro stations,Nath said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been directed to give priority to the issue of parking lots at all stations.

He also came in support of the Delhi government’s plan of trifurcating the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD),saying it would benefit the public.

“MCD is a big corporation and it should be divided into smaller units so that it would benefit the public,” he said.