‘ New Master Plan 2015 in a few months… ’ BDA Chief

‘ New Master Plan 2015 in a few months… ’
The proposed Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), known as Master Plan 2015, was scheduled to be up for public viewing last Monday. While the exhibition has been postponed due to technical reasons, the draft proposed is complete and expected to go on display later this month. M N Vidyashankar, Commissioner, BDA says this plan is aimed at streamlining development in the city

The Times of India

Why was the public display of the CDP postponed? When do you expect it to happen?
The public display of the Master Plan 2015, which was scheduled to commence from June 27, 2005 was postponed due to some technical reasons. It is expected to happen around July second week.

What are the major changes in this CDP over the previous one?
For the first time we have used remote sensing data and digitised data. Also, we have identified 11,540 hectares of tanks and valleys for protection from encroachment. Every Government stakeholder has been consulted and their inputs have been incorporated. New concepts such as transformation zone (urbanisable area) and logistic zone (for planning heavy transportation systems) have been adopted. The BDA has to plan and modify zones to accommodate all the needs of this burgeoning city and its population within the confines of its jurisdictional area only. The projected population by 2015 is in the order of 88.50 lakhs. The housing requirements, other facilities, and adequate infrastructure facilities have to be considered and borne in mind as main concerns. Balancing a healthy green belt protection to the city is the main concern of the BDA while opening the doors of development. But, without shifting some green belt, this phenomenal growth cannot be directed anywhere. As such, a mix of green belt within the development zones is put forward. Flexible land use provisions by recognising mixed land uses are made in the peri-central areas constituting older planned residential areas surrounding the city's core area. This makes way for good housing stock nearer to the core business district and reduces the reliance on the automobile, need to travel and also minimises the urban sprawl. A major thrust is given to maintain and strengthen the green belt in the south and west to preserve the city's natural assets and biodiversity in the Bannerghatta National Park.

What sort of feedback is the BDA looking for?
Bangalore, historically, is not a planned city. Originally a small town, due to compulsions of the times, it has assumed this high-speed growth converging all villages in itself. With this background, the city is in need of urban renewal with a healthy space for growth. With all the constraints in perspective, we need fair, positive, constructive, and practical suggestions from all quarters to fine-tune the Master Plan 2015.

What role will this CDP play in streamlining growth and development of the city?
The CDP or Master Plan 2015 is the blueprint of growth. As I have already mentioned this Master Plan is being tried after a year long rational study based on spatial maps and GIS. The main objective here is, Bangalore has no precedence in the matter of speed of its growth, and we need to create a new path in the matter of providing a diligent direction to this growth. That is the core issue before this plan document.

Specifically, what are the areas that the CDP tackles?
The objectives of the new land use zones and zonal regulations are to:
Safeguard public interest Strengthen and respond to the city's complexity by being anticipatory and responsive, and making realistic regulations
Create flexible land use zones
Facilitate implementation

Are there provisions for concepts such as metro rail, helipads, ring roads etc to facilitate commuting?
Yes, it includes all these concepts. Provisions are made to facilitate an integrated system of transport for development such as ring roads, radial roads and lateral road networks. The Hi-tech City project has proposals for an independent helipad with a super highway connecting with the airport and Electronic City.

When do you expect this CDP to come into implementation?
The revised draft Master Plan 2015 was approved by the Government of Karnataka on June 10, 2005. It has to be displayed for public viewing and to invite suggestions/feedback for 60 days. Public suggestions, objections will be studied and suitably incorporated into the draft Master Plan to give it a final shape. The final plan document will be sent for final approval of the Government. In the next few months' time the new Master Plan will be in place.