States protest Delhi `veto’ on NCR regional plan

The inordinate delay in approval of the Regional Plan-2021 of the National Capital Region, which is almost ready for over six months now, just because the Delhi Master Plan is not yet ready, has resulted in protests from the other States Governments — Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Arguing that the Delhi Development Authority would take another few years to finally come out with its Master Plan as it was progressing at a snail’s pace, the State Governments have demanded that the National Capital Regional Planning Board should immediately approve the Regional Plan-2021.

While the NCR Cell of Uttar Pradesh has already written a strong protest letter to the NCRPB, the officials concerned of Haryana and Rajasthan have also made similar representation protesting against the preferential treatment being given to the Capital. “We should not be made to suffer because of the inefficiency of the DDA,” these protesting States argued. The Regional Plan, the draft of which has been ready since December and has been approved by all States except for Delhi, should not be kept waiting as the entire area was suffering because of this, U. P. said. At the previous NCR Board meeting on January 16, the then Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, Vijai Kapoor, also the ex-officio DDA Chairman, did not approve of the Regional Plan and argued that this should be based on the Delhi Master Plan. Mr. Kapoor had said this was necessary for “harmonious growth” of the Capital. The very existence of the NCR is for Delhi and not vice versa, he argued and said thus it was natural that the Regional Plan-2021 should be based on the Delhi Master Plan-2021.

The U. P. NCR Cell, on the other hand, protested this view, which has been given preference over the others, by arguing that the Delhi Master Plan should be based on the Regional Plan and not vice-versa.

It is understood that the officials of these States argued that the NCRPB be made more powerful and Delhi Master Plan should be prepared based on the Regional Plan-2021. Officials said, several projects were delayed and further delay would affect the overall growth of the National Capital Region. They argued that it was only the Regional Plan, which was capable to take a holistic view of the region. “Giving preference to the Delhi Master Plan would only mean that the interest of the other States are not being protected and taken care of,” officials said.

Unlike the Delhi Master Plan, the NCRPB has prepared its Regional Plan with the help of eminent experts within a short span of time. In January 2001, the then Urban Development Minister, Jagmohan, had set up eight Study Groups on various aspects of the Regional Plan. The Study Groups submitted their draft reports, which were discussed in January 2002. On the basis of these recommendations, the Working Group was constituted to strategise the plan and. Its recommendations were discussed in Planning Committee meeting held on September 29, 2003. The Regional Plan has been prepared based on the decisions taken by it, officials said.

The resentment over the `vetoeing power’ of Delhi with respect to Regional Plan, officials in the NCRPB said this does not augur well for the Capital, which in the years to come would have to depend heavily on its neighbouring States. Delhi is experiencing acute scarcity of land for various purposes including sanitary land fill site and has been approaching these States for land. “If our interests are not being protected, how do we co-operate with Delhi,” officials from the U. P. NCR Cell said.