Plan identifies problems, offers no solutions

Rajmeet Singh and Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 24

The Chandigarh Master Plan — 2031 identifies the problems but fails to chalk out a road map for a definite solution in the future.

The Master Plan 

The Chandigarh Master Plan (CMP) —2031 has projected a population of 16,00,000 persons. Of these, nearly 6,16,031 are expected to be contained within the existing 47 sectors within Phase I and II; these constitute 38 per cent of the total projected population. Remaining 9,60,000 persons (60 per cent) are expected to be housed in sectoral grids of 48 to 56 as well as parts of 61 and 63 and partial in the remaining  seven designated pockets. 

Traffic and transportation

As far as the traffic management and transportation is concerned, the UT has come out with a grandeur mobility plan for the Chandigarh urban complex by touching on subjects like regional connectivity for -ity traffic management to integrated multi-nodal mass transport to mass rapid transport system, including the Metro.

In the master plan, underpasses proposed by RITES in its seven-year-old report have been simply reiterated. But no definite road map to construct the six under passes (that have been pending for construction) has been given. While quoting the RITES study, the UT has stated major corridors like Vidya path, Himalaya Marg, Madhya Marg, Udyog path, Purv Marg, Vikas Marg and Dakshin Marg would be chocked by 2021 and there is need to have high capacity mass transport system. Integrated multi-nodal mass transport nowhere in sight 

Bus transit system: The master plan talks about the need for bus rapid transport system and augmentation of bus fleet, but it fails to give a road map on how it would be implemented. On the suggestions for user friendly maps, IT enables services, no time-bound steps have been given.

No agreement on funding of the Metro: It has been over eight years, the metro was proposed and the master plan has come out in 2015. Still the UT, Punjab and Haryana have not decided on the mode of funding of the project and work on it is nowhere in sight. 

Dedicated pedestrian and cycle tracks: The master plans informs about 11 such corridors to be developed but no time bound action plan has been detailed. While the maintenance of existing tracks have been the point of debate, officials have not explained as to how the issues raised for constructing the corridors would be addressed. 

Parking problem: It has been simply reiterated that the underground community parking and common parking in the residential areas should be adopted.

Housing

For a projected population of around 16 lakh by 2031, the UT Urban Planning Department has laid stress on augmentation of housing stock in the city through re-planning and re-utilisation of vacant and existing single storeyed structures in the sectors of Phase I and II. But it fails to specific a road map on how to solve the existing problems and bridge the gap over the years.

No mention has been made about the road map for implementing the need-based changes in the 49,000 flats of the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB). The occupants of the CHB flats have been seeking relaxations in the bylaws. The issue of conversion of leasehold property into free hold property and future housing scheme in the southern sector has failed to find mention in the document. 

The master plan has projected that against the existing 22,790 private houses, there will be a requirement of 69,000 plots while in the case of government houses, the demand will increase from the existing 24,360 houses to 29,925 by 2031.

No future road map 

Low-cost rental accomodation: There is no specific road map and locations for low-cost accommodations for students and single working women. At present, there are two such facilities for working women in Sectors 11 and 24. Two more are required. 

Home for elderly: The master plan talks about increasing night shelters for the homeless and the elderly. At present, there are two government-run senior citizens homes in Sectors 15 and 43. 

Shelter for cycle rickshaw- pullers: No specific road map and locations have been identified. At present, Social Welfare Department runs “raen baseras” in Sector 17 and 26. 

Areas recommended for re-utilisation

• Industrial houses in Sector 29 and 30
• Sector 35 double and three-storeyed houses in Sector 35 can be converted into four storeyed houses.
• Sector 37 and 40 EWS
• Sector 43 and 44 large vacant plots to be utilised for group housing 

(But no definite plan and action plan given)

Mixed use of land recommended for Sectors in Phase III

In the sectors of Phase III, spread over an area of 1,870 acres, which consists of Sectors 48 to 56 and part of 61 and 63, four to six-storeyed high-density private group housing, rehabilitation colonies, the CHB housing and UT employee housing scheme of various categories with a density of 100 persons per acre has been recommended.

On the pattern of Punjab, where  commercial, institutional and residential use of land along arterial roads is allowed, the UT has recommended the concept of mix-use of land along Vikas Marg, running parallel to the Sector 43 Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT). The concept will be in withdrawal from the existing practice which allows commercial belt on one side and institutional on the other side. This means housing projects will come up along the Vikas Marg. 

At present, there is over 230 acres of undeveloped land on both sides of Vikas Marg. Against the low-rise buildings allowed in the sectors of Phase I and Phase II, the UT in the final Master Plan-2031 has proposed a mix of low-rise and high-rise buildings, in which lower floors will be used for commercial purpose and the upper floors will be used for institutional-cum-residential purpose.

Power supply system

Fails to implement power sector reforms

Power supply system is an integral part of the City Beautiful. In every summer, city residents especially the residents of southern sectors face long duration power cuts. But the city’s master plan is silent on dealing with ever-increasing power shortage. The master plan only suggests reducing the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses by implementing the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP).

But the ground reality is that the UT Administration has miserably failed to implement R-APDRP. The work on this programme was started in 2012, but it is very far from completion. The R-APDRP project has been initiated to bring down the T&D losses by upgrading the power infrastructure and introduction of the Information Technology (IT). Till date, the land has not been identified for setting up additional 220 KV sub-station, which was approved by the Power Ministry in 2013.

Power scenario

  

Water supply system

No future planning, fully dependent on Kajauli waterworks

At present, the water availability of UT is 87 million gallons daily (MGD). Of it, 67 MGD comes from Kajauli waterworks Phases I, II, III and IV, which is about 27 kilometers from Chandigarh, and the remaining 20 MGD is generated through 207 tubewells. There was already a gap of 29 MGD between the demand and supply. The city is receiving 87 MGD water against the demand of 116 MGD during summers. The city’s master plan has failed to provide any solution to the ever-increasing water crisis. The master plan mentioned about the augmentation of Kajauli’s Phase V and VI, replacement of old distribution pipelines and use of non-potable water for watering lawns, gardens and landscapes. But for Kajauli’s Phase V and VI, there is still no consensus between Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Similarly, the scheme of MC to use tertiary water for gardens and lawns has also failed as residents of northern sectors still using potable water for lawns. The water consumption in these sectors is also between 934 litre to 1,376 litre of water, per person, per day.

Apart from Kajauli, the master plan fails to identify or tap any other source of water for the city. The city has no backup plans in case some fault occurs in Kajauli waterworks. In the year 2013, the city had witnessed worst ever water crisis for almost 15 days when the damage took place in the Phase III and IV pipeline of the Kajauli waterworks. The MC had started providing water to residents through water tankers but that was also not sufficient.

Industrial area/commercial

 The city master plan fails to redress problems faced by traders and industrialists of the city. Traders have been demanding an increased floor area ratio and the implementation of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act in the Industrial Area, rehabilitation of industrial tenants in the Industrial Area Phase III, conversion of leasehold commercial and industrial plots into freehold. All city markets and Industrial area are facing problem of parking but there is no concrete plan to develop community parking in these areas in the Chandigarh Master Plan. 

But still there is good news for the traders. In the master plan, there was a proposal to develop north of Vikas Marg, on the lines of Madhya Marg. The Administration plans to develop a commercial belt north of Vikas Marg. Similarly, a commercial hub will be developed near the railway station, and a warehousing complex will come up in the Industrial Area Phase III. 

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Only identifies problems

The master plan identifies problem areas without providing solutions. The master plan talks about traffic congestion and parking problem, but no solution. These problems have been plaguing the city for many years now. — Surinder Bahga, noted Architect and nominated Councillor 

Maintain heritage status 

The new master plan should have been based on the concept of original master plan keeping in mind the heritage status of Chandigarh. Non-practical proposals such as the Metro should have been ignored. Only planned elevated roads, flyovers and bypass should be made to ease traffic passing through the city. The city’s heritage should be kept in mind, otherwise it will be just another city like Ludhiana. — Kishanjit, Former UT Chief Engineer

A welcome move

It is a welcome idea to develop new commercial hubs in the city but the master plan fails to redress the problems faced by traders in the existing commercial sectors. The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal welcomes the proposal to start the warehousing facility in the Industrial area. — Charanjiv Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal