Stepping up its efforts to ensure that the required changes are notified by the end of the year in the Master Plan for Delhi-2021, the Urban Development Ministry has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to expedite the mid-term review of the same.

Progress in respect of the mid-term review by the DDA was reviewed on Thursday by Urban Development Secretary Shankar Aggarwal. DDA vice-chairman Balwinder Kumar, UD additional secretary Durga Shankar Mishra and senior officials of the agencies concerned, including Delhi Fire Services (DFS), participated in the review. UD Minister Venkaiah Naidu has directed that the notification of changes in the MPD-2021 should be done by the end of this year, said a senior Ministry official.

MPD-2021, which was notified in February, 2007, was to be reviewed within five years keeping in view the changes occurring during that period. The mid-term review had started in 2011 but has not yet been concluded. Further to the review, changes in the Master Plan will be notified with the approval of the UD Ministry.

Naidu had last month taken a serious view of the delay in the completion of the mid-term review. He had asked Ministry officials to ensure that the exercise was wrapped up quickly to enable the notification of its results by the end of 2014.

At the meeting, Aggarwal directed the DDA to place in the public domain by November 3, 2014, the chapter on Environmental Issues for receiving suggestions/views from the public during the mandatory 45-day period. DDA was also asked to present the chapter on ‘Transit- Oriented Development’ for the consideration of its chairman by the seventh of next month so that the same can soon after be put in the public domain. It was decided in the meeting that since by convention, rules applicable to lutyens Bungalow Zone are applicable to Zone-D, DDA would accordingly take the approval of the Authority for Zonal Development Plan for the same.

According to the official, the meeting also discussed the issue of municipal agencies and DFS not allowing construction beyond 15-m height. DFS has informed that under the relevant Act, they are required to go by the National Building Code, which prescribes a maximum height of 15-m for construction. DFS and the agencies concerned were asked to place a proposal before the Ministry for resolving the issue.