CDP geared towards planned development

CDP geared towards planned development
The Times of India

The draft for the next Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) is under consideration with the State Government, and is expected to be made public shortly. This time around the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is looking at an active public interaction to ensure the CDP is effective and helps in an orderly growth and development in the city. "We are involving NGOs, resident welfare associations, and people in the city in general in a big way", says a BDA source.

The BDA plans to display large maps and zonal regulations contained in this CDP at a central location for public viewing. Officers will be stationed at the location to clarify doubts of those visiting the CDP display. Soft copies of the CDP draft too will be available. The BDA will open up an email facility for the people to send in their suggestions and views.

"The maps will show all the development plans such as civic amenities, major roads, parks, lakes, peripheral road, metro rail route etc apart from zones such as industrial or green belt. The maps will be in great detail to the extent of showing individual houses in the city", explain BDA sources.

The interaction between the BDA and the public is aimed at finalising a plan that is effective. "If someone has planned some development on a piece of land that has been shown as earmarked for some other purpose, the landowner is free to approach us to demonstrate how his plans are more productive from the point of view of the city's overall development", the officer says.

This CDP has been drawn up to be in force till 2015. The BDA estimates a city population of around 88 lakhs at that time. However, the authority is not averse to changing the CDP midway in the event of a necessity being felt. "At the time the last CDP was drawn up, the information technology sector had not come up in the city in a big way. In the event of such a development happening that changes the dynamics of the city drastically, we will consider amendments to the CDP. We have made provisions for IT zones in this CDP", he elaborates. The BDA is keen that the

public understands the CDP and contributes with opinions. "Suggestions from shifting a planned industrial area to a different location to realignments in circulation patterns of roads are valuable. This time there are major changes in zonal regulations such as classification of land use. We plan to offer higher floor area ratios. The plan has been drawn up to meet international standards and is the first of its kind in the country", the BDA sources say.

This CDP, in essence, has been made to put in place a progressive and well-planned process of development. It is meant to ensure a healthy growth of the city. The BDA has the advantage of extensive aerial surveys this time that show the topography of the city clearly. "These three dimensional images have helped considerably in making a scientific plan. For example, we know exactly which areas are low-lying across the city. The flooding that happens in parts of Koramangala is because of interference in the natural flow. The flow through the natural valley has been blocked at places. This will be avoided with these images. When the last CDP was drawn up such images were not available", he says.

The city is playing host to new sectors. They can move the economy up a few notches with both entrepreneurial and job opportunities. The BDA's new CDP can go a long way in planning for a more efficient Bangalore that everyone needs.