The high-level committee on Master Plan-2037 for Ranchi recommended changes in the draft and asked the empanelled agency Feedback Infra Pvt ltd to incorporate the changes so that it can be presented for final approval of the State Cabinet. The meeting was chaired by Secretary Urban Development and was attended by officials of Greater Ranchi Development Authority, State Housing Board, telecommunication companies, Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam ltd, Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce & Industries, CREDAI, Architects Association and Town Planner Ranchi.
However, the plan has to travel a long way and develop Ranchi as per the provisions of the plan. The draft did not see much progress during elections despite getting green signal from Ranchi Municipal Corporation. “There are processes to follow. We have asked for certain changes to incorporate in the plan and then it will be presented before the Cabinet for approval. It will take around two to three months to table it before the Cabinet,” said Secretary, Urban Development, Ajoy Kumar Singh.
The plan was passed by Ranchi Municipal Corporation after several rounds of meetings over the provisions amid the accusations of the agency not suggesting land use and charges of non-cooperation made by the agency against the municipal body. The matter kept dragging its feet until October and was cleared by the standing committee after convincing 55 ward councillors. The plan had drawn ire of all the stake holders.
The committee unanimously decided to maintain the width of roads as proposed in the plan of 1983 and offer proper justification if there is need to alter dimensions so that a decision can be taken by the committee, maintaining Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of the areas inside Inner Ring Road as the per the plan of 1983 whereas changing the FAR of areas outside the road to 0.5, keeping the FAR for group housing and affordable housing between 0.5 to 1.0, using the provision of Transfer of Development Rights with regard to widening roads, for social amenities and increasing the FAR according to the requirements of land owner, incorporating existing village settlements in the present map whereas suggesting land use of villages besides incorporating utility services such as telephone line, electricity pole, drainage & sewerage into the Zonal Development Plan.
The FAR is a building’s total floor area to the size of the piece of land upon which it is built. The planner and the municipal body has locked horns over land use with the former alleging failure of the latter in providing details of land with information about land protected under Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and general land.