Gurgaon Master Plan 2031

Unclear vision of a
future megapolis
Dr Bhawani Shankar Tripathy
Empowering local bodies for better governance, September 1, 2013
 Residential
Notified in 2007
Population increase from 22 lakh to 37 lakh
(15 lakh plus)
Area increase from 8000 ha to 37,000 ha
Population density 200 per ha
Additional sectors 58-115
 Commercial
Land reserved for big
commercial malls
and corporates
Max 50%
commercial areas to
be developed by
privaterest by
public
 Industrial
In addition Manesar,
new industrial areas
have been proposed
along express
highway adjacent to
IMT Manesar.
 Transport and communication1
Construction of 3 link roads between Delhi-Gurgaon
90 m wide road link between Vasant Kunj to MG Road (along
Biodiveristy Park periphery)
90 m wide road link from Andheria Mor to Gurgaon-Faridabad
road through Mandi and Gual Pahari.
150 m wide road link between Dwarka and Palam Vihar.
Increase in width of Master roads from 30m to 60m and
75m
Northern (150 m), Southern (90 m) wide Peripheral
roads
MRTS corridor along the NPR proposed. Another MRTS
proposed along Mehrauli road to extending up to the
proposed 90-m link road with Delhi via Gwalpahari.
 Transport and communication2

Transport Nagar spread

across 28 ha in Sector 33
Container depot had also
been proposed adjoining
Delhi-Rewari railway line.
Auto Market in sector 10 in
an area of 16 ha.
A Transport Nagar in sector
33 on 28 ha developed by
HUDA to be shifted to along
Delhi- Rewari Railway Line,
plus a Container Depot (shift
from roads to railways)
Public utilities
Public utilities in sectors 100, 101, 107
Water works
STPs
Electrical sub-stations
Public and Semi-public areas
Government,
educational, cultural
institutions (all non-
commercial purpose)
 Open Spaces

In sector 72-72 A, artificial water body.

900 m defense line around Ammunition depot no construction
allowed
Green belt along the sector/ arterial roads shall be primarily for
widening of sector/arterial road in future. However, till such time
the widening does not take place, the said area may be utilized
for nursery/plantations, fuel-filling station, communication lines,
utility services etc. with the prior approval of the Director.
 Special Zone

Special zone shall include recreation and entertainment,

commercial, group housing and institutional uses.
Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
to facilitate the Indian entrepreneurs to compete foreign market
for the purpose of boosting the economy of state
 Agriculture Zone

Agricultural zone (does not eliminate construction like

extension of village abadi or what the GoH may decide as
ancillary units)
 2025 Plan salient features1
Notified in 2011
Population increase from 22 lakh to 40 lakh (18 lakh plus)
Population density from 100/acre to 120/acre
Minimum width of road in residential colony is 12 m.
Minimum area for parks/open spaces @ 2.5 sqm/person
Link roads (the 150 m wide road link between Dwarka and
Palam Viharextended to NH8)
Land for additional parking areas in new sectors
Proposed 200 m wide institutional belt along SPR the
Government offices and semi-Government offices
Golden Triangle City Centre (GTCC) in Sector 29 with four
tallest buildings in the world (140 floors, taller than Taipei 101)
 2025 Plan salient features2
Electric lines upto 66 Kilovolt in the urbanizable area
shall be laid underground.
Realignment of Badshahpur nallah storm water drainage
towards south of 60 metres outer periphery road,
4613 ha for industrial use along NH8 adjacent to IMT
Manesar
In addition to SEZ on map, DLF SEZ, Unitech SEZ,
Orient Craft SEZ, Metro Valley SEZ etc. Are also notified
by GOI in different zones of this development plan as
notified / denotification of SEZ is a continuous process.
 2031 Plan salient features
Notified in 2012
Population increase from 22 lakh to 42.5 lakh (20 lakh+)
Area decrease from 37,000 ha to 33,700 ha
90 m wide road 63A/64 with to sector dividing road of
sector 30/31 of Development Plan of Sohna -2031 AD.
Net residential density of 250 persons/ha developed on
neighbourhood concept
In sector-68, 50 ha housing to low and medium income
group with density of 1,125 persons/ha
 2031 Plan salient features2
50 ha reserved for wholesale markets of building
material, grain and vegetable market in Sector 99-A,
on northern side of railway line along proposed 75 m
road.
Nearby 40 ha reserved for idle parking where heavy
vehicles can be parked.
50 ha for dairy farming near village Dhankot
 2031 Plan salient features3
Change in land-use: Part SEZ converted to 7 new
residential/ commercial sectorsothers under litigation
Increase in size of sector 37-D, allotting whole land
between Gadoli Khurd & old sector-37 D to a builder.
New sectors - 95A, 95B, 89A, 89B, 88A, 88B and 99A -
proposed covering nearby villages (Wazirpur, Hayatpur,
Mohammedpur, GarouliKhurd, GarouliKalan and Harsaru...)
Sl Land Use 2021 2025 2031
N (Area in Ha) (Area in Ha) (Area in Ha)
o
1 Residential 14,390 15,148 16,010

2 Commercial 1,404 1,429 1,616

3 Industrial 5,441 5,431 4,613
4 Transport and 4,231 4,289 4,420
Communication
5 Public Utilities 564 609 626
6 Public and Semi-public 1,630 1,775 2,035
use(Institutional)
7 Open Spaces 2,675 2,688 2,775
8 Special Zone 106 106 114
9 Defence Land 633 633 633
Total Area 31,614 32,108 32,842

10 Special Economic Zone 4,570 4,570 -

11 Existing Town 406 406 406

12 Village Abadies 428 428 478
Grand Total 37,069 37,512 33,726
 Some key Plan questions1
Three successive master plans in a span of six years?
First draft Master Plan 2021 on July 11, 2006. The Final
2021 master plan, notified on February 5, 2007 reflected
a dramatic shift from the draft plan
Between MP2021 and MP2025, land-use of sectors 63A
and 67A were converted (approx 500 acres) of
agricultural land, to residential land use.
Affordable housing went for a toss (HUDA said land was
too expensive)?
 The sad story of SEZ
DDP 2031 released on Nov 15, 2012; finally notified on
Sept 4, 2012 after conversion of roughly 2,200 acres of
SEZ land into residential/commercial use. Entire 25,000
acres earmarked for SEZs cancelled.
SEZs would create five lakh jobs. Guarantee that at least one member of
each family that gives up its land for the project would be given
employment
Original landowners did not benefit; instead SEZ
developers obtained licences to develop industrial
colonies on the same land.
 Reportedly.
Farmers remained unconvinced and unwilling to
cooperate. This led to forcible possession of their land by
the State with the intervention of the Haryana police
force. Litigation involving hundreds of acres is pending in
the Punjab and Haryana High Court since 2007.
Litigation involving hundreds of acres is pending in the
Punjab and Haryana High Court since 2007.
Despite its stated mandate to increase industrial
development, land allocated for industrial use was
reduced by 2020 acres in MP2031.
Objections and Suggestions
to GMUC DDP 2031 raised by
 Objections and Suggestions to GMUC DDP 2031
raised by Mission Gurgaon Development

1. Objection to methodology adopted

2. Environmental issues based objections
3. Technical/Legal objections
4. Parawise objections to Annexure A
5. Parawise objections to Annexure B
6. Objections with suggestions
7. Action requested
 Objection to methodology adopted
NCRPB legal underpinnings
Instructions, Guidelines, Policy, Rules, Regulations and
Statutes Violated
Unmet requests of NCRPB
MOUD guidelines
National Forest Policy 1998 guidelines
Impossibilities of meeting deadlines
Pre-requisites
Environmental
issues based
objections
Aravalli range
Biodiverity Park, Ghata Bund land, Mangar, etc
 Technical and Legal objection
In environmental law the burden of proof is upon the
authority or agency moving a proposal to show that there
is no possibility of grave harm to environment/ water
resources/ wildlife/ flora by execution of this proposal,
(Vellore Citizens' Welfare Forum v. Union of India, (1996) 5 SCC 647 (3 judges) &
A.P. POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD 1999 (2) SCC 718) and furthermore the Apex
Court has noted that the proponents are duty bound to make an honest disclosure of all
facts. (Para 11 of Godavarman 06.07.2011)
 Parawise objections to Annexure A
Description of land uses fails to account for mandatory
requirement to first demarcate rechargeable areas such as
flood plains, water bodies, etc for conservation activity as
mandated at Para 1(iii) of NCRPB letter No. K-
14011/33/2003-NCRPB dated 02.11.2004.
 Para-wise objections to Annexure B

XIX. Provision of farm house outside abadi-deh in

agricultural zone. (vii) Services, water supply and drainage
(a) & (c)

MoEF Notification dated 07.05.1992/ CGWB Notification

(Dark Zone)/ Apex Court directive that prohibits boring of
wells in Gurgaon District/ Aravalli Hills Range.
It is now mandatory to install STP for treatment of
sewage, hence no permission to use septic tank as
sewage shall seep into ground water.
 Insufficient information on inputs to
planning
Except Census 2011 for provisional population data, no
other documentary evidence is used, which can indicate
the basis of planning.
Include a separate section in the DDP-2031, clearly
indicating the following:
Problems arising out of implementation of the previous Master
Plan identified and analyzed.
Measures adopted to solve the identified and reported problems.
Measures proposed in the DDP 2031 to ensure that the
implementation of the new plan will not give rise to similar
problems or new problems.
 Insufficient Drawings
appended with the DDP-2031
While this drawing could be
accessed, the different
layers of the plan and the
maps such as those of
large natural resources
(forests, water bodies, hills,
natural drainages, etc),
master drainage system,
master roads, and similarly
occupied or planned land
area, are not available for
review.
Inadequate evidence of integration with
the regional plan
No city can exist as an island or in isolation. All
developments influence and impact beyond and above
their immediate environs, especially when there is large-
scale people movement and trade across borders.
Lack of a vision for the city
A Millennium City to what?
Underestimation of actual Population: Carrying Capacity
of the land
 Missing Sustainability: Need for
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Impact of all proposed infrastructure development

Consequent developments such as growth in carbon
emissions from increased vehicular traffic, or growth in
volume of sewerage generated from increased populations
Bandhwari constructed in banned area
 Where is water security? Managing the
most precious resource
The plan indicates a major chunk of agriculture land will
be protected. Agriculture consumes close to 70% of the
water supplied to the district. But it does not indicate how
the new plan will meet the water demands of the new
developments as well as for agriculture.
The CGWB has already predicted Gurgaon to go dry by
2017 at the present population level.
If It is well known that canal water will always be
insufficient as is reported in the article written by the
Haryana Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala on
15.10.2010 in Farmers Forum Magazine.
Monsoon Drainage and
Waste water management
Groundwater with
very high levels of
nitrates
Natural drainages
affected by
previous Master
Plan
Badhshpur nallah
Current capacity of
treating sewage is
only 30%. How
additional sewage
will be treated
 Suggestions
Study of the aquifer and
water balance of each basin
and for the district as a whole
should be provided
On the basis of the
topography of the land, the
entire area covered by the
2031 Master Plan, including
a 1 km peripheral belt should
be divided into basins so
that each basin will be
drained by a network of
natural drains and water
bodies.
 Suggestions on water recycling
Waste water other than from toilet could be treated,
recycled and supplied for reuse. It must indicate what
measures will be adopted (investment of resources, 33
technology and management processes) so that the
toilet water is separated from other waste water, and
after treatment is supplied for gardening and other uses
not involving human consumption.
 No sight of solid waste management
plans

Bandhwari assessment for efficient functioning.

E-waste management
Assessment study about the various types and extent of solid waste
generated in existing city
Plan and reserve land for environmental development such as green
area, hills, and water bodies around land-fill sites
 Calculate and reserve land for 'Transit Garbage Placement Points ' in all
zones before this garbage is lifted daily to be transported to waste treatment
plants.
Disposal, recycling, and reuse should be the mantra for waste generated
from construction material (malba).
Plans for disposal and management of animal carcasses for the current city
and future developments, without impacting environment and human life.
Inadequate Transport and Communication links
MRTS, yes, but where is integrated networks
Transport Modelling before planning for transportation.
Prepare MRTS keeping in mind inter and intra-city
transportation and not just a single loop of metro.
 Parking
Norms for parking
More information needed on
health and hospital plans

Nationally recommended bed

capacity in hospitals in urban areas
is 0.25% of the population (250 per
lakh of population).
Current bed capacity about 2,500 for
20 lakh.
Need for blood banks, laboratories,
and trauma centres
Need for public health facilities for
poor. More civil hospitals and
dispensaries in different parts of city.
Inadequate Housing for urban poor
The Planning Commission has opined that
sale of EWS plots/flats is unviable

Construction of EWS
house/flats which shall
remain the property of
the state/housing
apartment associations
but shall be rented out
on nominal rent to EWS
category applicants
under government
supervision.
 Housing for the poor and middle
In sector-68, a pocket of approx 50 ha with density of
1,125 persons/ha reserved for providing housing to low
and medium income group.
Density is against average of 270 persons/ha for the city
as a whole and is too high.
Planned housing will cater to only about 56,000 of the
low income (2.8% of total population).
It needs to be drastically raised and spread over a
number of sectors
National average of poor in urban areas is about 20%.
 Housing suggestion
Government must retain lien on all EWS constructions
and supervise the renting out of these properties only to
pre-defined EWS categories as given in state policy
document.
Planning for educational hubs is unclear

@ 2000 students in an institution, there must be at least

1000 school, colleges and professional institutions for
the present population of 20 lakh
For holistic physical and mental development, separate
sports stadia of national standard must be planned.
For 20 lakh, there should be a minimum 10 multi-
purpose stadiums.
 Weak clarity on use of Open Spaces

Playgrounds in each sector and housing colony ought

to be made compulsory
300-acre Bio-Diversity Park, part of Aravalli
Road proposed in the Plan and cutting through the
Bio-Diversity Park must be removed
 Disaster management planning
Gurgaon Manesar is located on the Seismic Zone 4
Land required for development of all ancillaries required
for disaster mitigation and management must be
indicated clearly in the Plan.
Land around ammunition depot has been
urbanized in violation
In violation of the 900 m restriction line and as given in
the notification, the land around the ammunition depot is
urbanized.
A 900 metres wide strip of land around the ammunition depot has to
be kept free from urbanization under the provision of the Works of
Defence Act, 1903 (Act 7 of 1903). (GMUC DDP 2031; Annexure A, Sl
no 7, Open Spaces, Page 4)
 Planning for power
No land use indicated for setting up power stations
(indicated under public services)
 Objections attended to in Final Plan

DDP had 9 points. FDP has 14. The new headings are:
10. Natural Conservation Zone
11. Environmental Concerns
12. Conservation of Heritage sites
13. Development of infrastructure
14. Land use distribution of Hubs

Points 10 and 11 directly talk about protection of Aravalis,

environmental concerns, groundwater recharge, and
biodiversity park. Quotes MOEF rules, SC orders, etc.
Biodiversity Park mentioned as an ENTITY in itself - the road
has also been diverted thru periphery of BDP.
Not the final word
at Mission Gurgaon Development
A peoples movement for good governance

We have come here together not as intellectual rebels

but as intellectual innovators. We cannot accept the past
as a guide to the future.Trend is not destiny, change is
not a chance, it is a choice. It is to that change in human
affairs to which we must recommit ourselves. For nothing
else will redeem our own pledge either to ourselves or to
the future of humanity.
(Dr Mahbub-ul-Haq, concluding remarks at SID North-South Roundtable
conference on A new framework on development cooperation, Maryland,
USA, Jan 26-28, 1998)