1. 60th National Town and Country Planners’ Congress
Assessing Master Plans: Reform measures for Strengthening City Planning
Ramakrishna Nallathiga
Associate Professor
NICMAR Construction Industry Staff College
NAC Campus, Kondapur
Hyderabad
Jan 6-8, 2012

2. Structure Introduction Why town planning reforms?
What is the reform agenda?
Process for undertaking reforms
Improving the plan making process
Building/development regulations
Agriculture to non-agriculture permission
Alternative approaches
Town Planning Schemes
Resource mobilisation
Jan 6-8, 2012

3. Introduction
Town planning is an important function of urban local government wherein a master plan of development in various zones is proposed
A general development plan or master plan has to be prepared at every years for a town with designated land use
While master plan designates land use zoning, building/development controls in the form of area, height, road width are also specified in it
Jan 6-8, 2012

4. Introduction
Master plan implementation is primarily done through permissions sanctioned by urban local government/ development authority for
Planning permission for proposed land use
Plot sub-division and Layout development
Permission for the development of building
The conversion of land use (outside town/ urban area) from agriculture to non-agriculture is at the hands of the revenue department of respective State government
Jan 6-8, 2012

5. Why town planning reforms?
Differential status of plans (in AP)
Total No. of Urban Local Bodies
125
Total Master Plans sanctioned 73
No. of Towns covered under Urban Development Authorities 22
No. of Master Plans pending with Municipalities 03
Master Plans under approval by Government 04
Master Plans under preparation 08
Master Plans to be prepared 07
Jan 6-8, 2012

6. Why town planning reforms?
Periodicity of Master Plan
Most of the existing town master plans are made for a time horizon of 30 years, which is a very long time, given the changes in urban population, town characteristics and technology
Also, hardly any town revises its development/ master plan, when the actual changes on ground warrant such revision after some time
The master plans have to be made for right time horizon and revised at set period so that some of the changes are incorporated in the revised/new master plan at the end of the period
Jan 6-8, 2012

7. Why town planning reforms?
Different Ground Situation
Master plans prescribe land use in designated zones on a map, and are supposed to give development permission to be compliant with it
However, actual development may be different from that proposed in master plan because of:
Non-compliance of plot owner
Cumbersome procedures to obtain permission
Deviations are taken through via media
Neglect of peripheral/per-urban areas
Unrealistic planning e.g, developments different from plan, lack of infrastructure/ connectivity
Jan 6-8, 2012

8. Why town planning reforms?
Interest Group Capture
Town planning is an instrument for orderly urban development; however not many towns in every State have development plans for them
As a result, much of the development/ building permission is made at the hands of the officers of urban local government (bureaucrats) and the members of urban local council (politicians)
The lack of appropriate master plan in itself leads to mis-appropriation of powers in the vested interest groups that manipulate urban local government (bureaucrats-politicians) to allow development that they want on city-space
Jan 6-8, 2012

9. Why town planning reforms?
Fiscal problems
Master plans also provide for large facilities e.g., development node, growth centre, and also estimate infrastructure facilities to be provided to the population
However, these facilities to be made available require finance to obtain land and undertake development, for which there may be no finance available
Large infrastructure facilities that are required are estimated in physical terms and also provided on map, but the development of such infrastructure costs money, which is not provided for in most of the plans
Jan 6-8, 2012

10. What are the reforms?
Streamlining master plan/ development plan preparation process
Improving the governance of development plan making and its implementation
Streamlining planning/ development permission process for
Conversion of land use
Development of building
Improving the implementability of master plan through specific projects, investment outlays and fiscal instruments
Alternate approaches, Complimentary planning and fiscal instruments/ tools to achieve the plan objectives
Jan 6-8, 2012

11. Streamline development plan making process
Follow UDPFI Guidelines
Prepare long term perspective plan (in lieu of general development/master plan) of socio-economic development at 20 year time horizon
Prepare medium term development plan at every 5 years (co-terminus with period of local government) in line with perspective plan
Prepare annual plans giving details of physical and financial improvements
Develop projects/schemes of execution with proposals for adequate investments/ finances
Jan 6-8, 2012

12. Improving the governance of plan making
Governance matters
Consult all major stakeholders while preparing perspective plans and address their concerns
Allow public-participation in development plans through the process of inviting objections/ suggestions, address them and communicate with public
Improve transparency of plan making through
(a) public display of maps e.g., in key public locations, offices of local government and internet,
(b) providing information/ data upon request
Make planning officers accountable for the decisions taken, especially in making favours in terms of allowing deviations, change of use and development permission
Make the planning departments and local government compliant with Right to Information Act provisions
Jan 6-8, 2012

13. Streamlining the permission process
Agriculture to non-agriculture conversion
Reduce the time taken to change land use by setting a time limit of not more than 30 days
For large cities, make it mandatory to have either regional plan or fringe area plans providing for development in areas adjoining them
Make conversion process more rational by making it subject to scrutiny by regional plan/ fringe plan
Bring change process under automatic permission system in urban areas within their jurisdiction
Revenue authority to have minimum role in the process
Jan 6-8, 2012

14. Streamlining the permission process
Building/ development permission
Reduce the number of steps taken to the award of permission by local government/ authority
Set time limits for the issue of building permission after the submission of application
Standardise application processing by various departments with service standards
Improve the process transparency of building permission through better monitoring systems
Introduce IT and its applications into the processing of applications and award of permit
Institute strong inspection and monitoring systems
Jan 6-8, 2012

15. Improving the implementability of plan
Assess the land and development requirements and provide for them in the physical plan
Estimate the financial requirements of the above and either budget it or make use of other means of development e.g. PPP
Assess infrastructure requirements and prepare investment plans for meeting the same
Develop separate schemes for achieving the goals/ objectives of development plan
Review and revise the development at the set periodicity to be in line ground situation
Jan 6-8, 2012

16. Complimentary instruments/ schemes
Make operational plan for financing the development of land as per development plan involving tools like
Reservations of land for amenities
Transferable Development Rights
Town Planning Schemes
Special Townships
Make investment plan for developing infrastructure and providing amenities using
Funding channels of Government
Market Finance (Debt, Bonds etc)
Public-Private Partnerships
Jan 6-8, 2012

17. Alternate approaches (Strategic/Vision Plans)
Jan 6-8, 2012

18. Special instruments – Town Planning Schemes
Jan 6-8, 2012

19. TPS development process
Jan 6-8, 2012

20. TPS Implementation Steps
Jan 6-8, 2012

21. Land based fiscal instruments
Jan 6-8, 2012

22. Thank YOU!!!
Jan 6-8, 2012