NEW DELHI: Aiming to ensure planned and integrated development of the capital, the government has decided to urbanise 48 villages in the city. The move is said to bring the legal status of these villages in line with the city’s changing urban landscape and provide a basis for better planning of their development.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision would allow the needs of these villages in terms of land use, road connectivity, sewerage, water supply, sanitation and other civic amenities to be assessed in a more systematic and coordinated manner.
Gupta also said that villages are an integral part of the capital’s cultural heritage, social life and development journey. Planned development is essential to ensure the well-being of these villages, improve the quality of life of the families living there and provide them with better basic amenities. The government aims to ensure that development is balanced, inclusive and aligned with future needs.
The urbanisation of these 48 villages, she said, is an important step in that direction. It will provide a basis for systematically assessing development needs, improving the planning of civic amenities and strengthening coordination among the agencies concerned. The aim is to bring villages into the mainstream of development while respecting their identity and heritage, she added.
Once the notification is issued, the status of the villages concerned will change from rural to urban. This will bring clarity regarding their urban status and the legal and administrative rules applicable to them, Gupta said. It will also provide a clear legal basis for preparing and considering development plans in the future. However, construction work, changes in land use and other development activities will have to comply with the relevant rules, building regulations, approved plans and other necessary permissions.
The process will also help assess development opportunities in line with the Draft Master Plan 2041. However, development work will be carried out only in accordance with the relevant plans, necessary statutory approvals and other applicable rules.