<div><em>It is extremely doubtful if the much hyped DDA visions of Delhi as a city of skyscrapers like New York and Shanghai will be ever achieved, says <strong>Ranjit Sabikhi</strong></em><br><br><img alt="" src="http://bw-image.s3.amazonaws.com/sabikhi200.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 200px; float: left;">The mixed use development of unlimited height proposed along Transit Oriented Development (TOD) metro corridors currently being much hyped by DDA is a beguiling concept. It holds out visions of a city of skyscrapers like New York and Shanghai. It is, however, doubtful whether much of what is claimed is ever likely to be achieved? Imminent change in the kilometer wide zones along metro corridors that is expected to transform the nature of the city is unlikely to happen, considering the manner in which the DDA and the Ministry of Urban Development, are currently implementing it. </div><div> </div><div>As per the original DDA notification the TOD Corridors were to be part of an integrated multi-modal transport system, effectively integrating a mix of rail and road based systems which would include metro-rail, bus rapid transport, feeder services, taxis, auto-rickshaws, and private modes. In addition all roads would be made pedestrian, and bicycle friendly, and safe for children, elderly and the differently abled. Based on a detailed master plan for the corridor with an updated services infrastructure layout, this system was to be implemented along the length of all the TOD metro corridors. It was suggested that the development would follow a completely different concept with emphasis on providing safe pedestrian movement instead of the present traffic dominated road system, effectively connecting and servicing a wide area along each TOD corridor.</div><div> </div><div><img alt="" src="http://bw-image.s3.amazonaws.com/vikasmarg300.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 317px; margin: 1px; float: right;">The Zonal Development plan for East Delhi on which the DDA’s first TOD project the East Delhi hub is located, shows a kilometer wide influence zone of high density development overlaid along the length of the metro-rail on Vikas Marg. Starting from the East bank of the Yamuna river, Vikas Marg has a 45 metre right of way with service roads on either side. It passes through some of the most highly congested areas of East Delhi, flanked by small residential plots on either side, served by narrow access roads, built haphazardly 5 or 6 storeys in height, with a bewildering mixture of uses including commercial, residential, and communal, on different floors. All the way up to Nirman Vihar, the area is a centre of intense activity, with the road congested throughout the day, carrying a mixture of motor vehicles cars, buses, electric rickshaws, three wheelers, cyclists and pedestrians. Despite having defined traffic lanes, conditions are chaotic, and the 45 metre wide corridor, barely manages to accommodate the wide variety of slow moving transportation, that serves the needs of the existing settlements on either side. </div><div> </div><div>Riding overhead above this chaos in the centre of the road, there is the metro-rail with a series of stations along its length. To visualize this as a central transportation corridor with 500 metre wide, high density mixed use development, consisting of multistory towers on either side is wishful thinking. It is going to be extremely difficult to acquire a number of plots to create a consolidated strip of even 50 metre depth on either side, leave alone a depth of 500 metres for redevelopment as is being proposed. The density of existing construction is already well above the 400 FAR being offered as the incentive for owners to redevelop their land. The fact that the entire area is overcrowded with narrow ill ventilated streets, and buildings almost touching each other overhead, along with a tangle of electric wires, and clothes hung out to dry, does not detract from the fundamental fact, that this massive concentration offers cheap affordable housing to large numbers of low income workers, close to the heart of the city, with the metro corridor providing efficient connection to work centers all over. This is an area that is not likely to change any time soon.</div><div> </div><div><img alt="" src="http://bw-image.s3.amazonaws.com/laxminagar300.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 331px; margin: 1px; float: left;">After reaching Nirman Vihar and the Lakshmi Nagar District Centre, Vikas Marg passes through a number of well developed middle and high income residential colonies. Here the densities are reasonable with good living conditions and a pleasant ambience, which will be completely destroyed if the proposed high density Transit Oriented Development does come about. Here also the possibilities of being able to put together consolidated sites of one hectare area, for intensive mixed use development are bleak. </div><div> </div><div>In this context DDA’s much touted Karkardooma signature project being the transforming element initiating a major change in future urban development synergising transport and land use, is likely to be a let down. DDA has not to date prepared a proper master plan of this corridor stretching from the Yamuna bank to Anand Vihar, nor has it prepared a detailed services infrastructure layout. They are however ready to go ahead with the development of the so called E Delhi hub at Karkardooma, for which they have tied up with NBCC to implement the project.</div><div> </div><div>The site at Karkardooma is an isolated 75 acre pocket of land situated at the east end of the Delhi urban area, near the Anand Vihar railway station, adjoining the UP border. The proposed 5000 crore hub is in the middle of nowhere, and is unlikely to act as a trigger for similar high intensity development in other areas. It just happens to be a rare large vacant site, surprisingly clear of unauthorized slum settlements to date. Despite the tantalizing visuals of multistory towers including a 100 floor iconic tower, a 5 acre park, and a mixed use promenade, and a series of safe pedestrian roads, the much touted East Delhi hub will become an isolated development with no active connection to the surrounding areas. The possibility of it becoming a part of the high intensity TOD corridor along Vikas Marg will remain a fantasy for some time to come. </div><div> </div><div>What makes the proposal more unrealistic is the DDA signing up NBCC to prepare detailed development plans for this area. NBCC is essentially a government owned construction agency – a glorified building contractor. It has no technical planning, urban design and architectural skills. There are no qualified planners or urban designers on their staff, and their recent foray in the development on government land in the prime areas of New Netaji Nagar and East Kidwai Nagar are both shoddy planning exercises. New Netaji Nagar may look and feel exotic because it is built in a prime area at less than half the permissible density as per the Delhi Master Plan. East Kidwai Nagar currently under construction is badly laid out, with a monotonous repeat of standard government housing achieving an FAR of 203, well below the permissible FAR of 300. To entrust such an agency that does not have the required planning and design expertise, with the actual implementation of such a major development project betrays DDA’s complete lack of responsibility, in terms of the future development of the city. Before actually setting about the actual implementation of this project, DDA needs to do a detailed review of the total existing services infrastructure network in the entire East Delhi zone, and prepare a segment by segment proposal to upgrade the systems to be capable of supporting the proposed massive increase of development, along with the inevitable increase of population. A future city of skyscrapers cannot be developed, by simply doubling the builtup area, without first planning and preparing a proper infrastructure support base.</div><div> </div><div>Recent reports suggest that DDA is now also planning to undertake the development of a complex of multistory towers, adjoining Sanjay Lake in East Delhi. This is another totally arbitrary exercise, unrelated to the Delhi Master Plan or the TOD corridors. It would appear that DDA has lost its bearings, and is indulging in a series of fanciful exploits, ignoring the many very real urban issues within the Delhi urban area that need to be urgently addressed.<br><br><em>The author,Ranjit Sabikhi has been in practice as an Architect in New Delhi since 1961. He taught at the School of Planning & Architecture in New Delhi from 1959 to 1975 and has also been a Visiting Critic to the Urban Design Program at GSD Harvard University and the School of Architecture at Washington University St. Louis</em></div>
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