Union Housing and Urban Affairs and Power Minister Manohar Lal on Thursday unveiled the Delhi Master Plan 2047 (MPD-2047), describing it as a long-term roadmap for transforming the national capital into an inclusive, sustainable, resilient and globally competitive city.
The plan was unveiled in the presence of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary D Thara, Delhi Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Vice Chairman N Saravana Kumar and other senior officials were also present.
Manohar Lal said the Master Plan would be a milestone in shaping Delhi’s future amid its growing population and evolving infrastructure requirements. The plan envisages around 40 lakh new affordable housing units, aimed at meeting the city’s future housing needs.
The minister said a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy had been incorporated to strengthen public transport corridors and promote better-connected urban development. Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) would also be encouraged to register and adopt redevelopment frameworks based on the in-situ redevelopment model to improve existing residential colonies.
Two-Pronged Planning Strategy
Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, MPD-2047 adopts two broad planning approaches — area-based redevelopment for existing brownfield areas and right-of-way (ROW)-based planning for greenfield areas.
Brownfield areas will focus on TOD, mixed-use development and infrastructure augmentation, while greenfield development will use connected road networks through land pooling and low-density areas.
The two approaches are aimed at promoting efficient land use, improving intra- and inter-city connectivity and ensuring coordinated urban growth.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said the plan, aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sapt-Dhara’, provided a roadmap for vertical growth, transit-oriented development and quality housing, besides promoting knowledge, education and medical hubs while preserving the capital’s cultural heritage.
He stressed the need to translate the planning framework into visible outcomes to improve ease of living and make Delhi more sustainable, vibrant and future-ready.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said MPD-2047 addressed the diverse requirements of Delhi’s villages, unauthorised colonies, old residential areas and markets while responding to challenges related to population growth, transportation and pollution.
She said higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) provisions would create new opportunities for redevelopment, while simplified norms would facilitate the expansion of urban amenities. The plan would also strengthen the ‘Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan’ initiative by providing further impetus to the goal of permanent housing for poor families.
40 Lakh New Homes Envisaged
The plan provides for large-scale housing development and redevelopment to meet Delhi’s future housing requirements. The minimum area requirement for redevelopment of existing group housing, DDA and government housing areas has been reduced from 40,000 sq m to 3,000 sq m, potentially creating around 7 lakh additional dwelling units. Around 18 lakh affordable homes are proposed along metro corridors in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones, while housing interventions for Jhuggi Jhopri (JJ) clusters are expected to benefit more than 17 lakh residents. The plan also provides an additional 15 per cent FAR for workers’ housing on industrial plots measuring 5,000 sq m and above, along with affordable housing along designated High Density Corridors (HDCs). To promote affordable rental housing for students, working professionals, migrant workers and low-income groups, a 50 per cent FAR incentive has also been proposed.
Land Pooling to Drive Planned Expansion
The plan provides for nearly 200 sq km of planned urban expansion, which is expected to create around 12 lakh new homes and a 600-km road network.
The government-led, infrastructure-first approach will see the DDA develop roads of 30 metres and wider upfront to support planned development and improve connectivity.
Different implementation models, including Town Planning Schemes, will be adopted. Planning schemes covering a minimum of 20 hectares will facilitate faster development through land assembly.
High Density Corridor development will also be introduced in land-pooling areas, with FAR of up to 400 along a 250-metre-wide corridor on either side of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II).
Sector 8B in Zone P-II, covering villages Gadi Khasro and Ibrahimpur, has been notified as the first sector ready for implementation.
Revitalising Commercial and Industrial Areas
MPD-2047 allows redevelopment of commercial centres on plots of at least 1,000 sq m through incentivised FAR, with the aim of attracting investment and creating modern business destinations.
Mixed-use development will be permitted along roads with a right of way of 30 metres and above, allowing commercial activities on the ground floor and first lower floor in buildings with stilt parking.
For industrial areas, the plan provides for modern industrial parks with flexible zoning and permits big-box retail, e-commerce and warehousing. Co-working spaces and data centres will also be allowed to support innovation and startups.
Focus on Heritage and Environment
The Master Plan provides for the conservation of around 1,500 heritage assets, for which Cultural Resource Management Plans will be prepared.
Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings will be facilitated for uses such as hotels, museums, offices, libraries and cultural activities while retaining their historic character. A heritage incentive of 50 TDR has also been introduced for the first time.
The plan also seeks to protect and restore nearly 1,700 hectares of the Yamuna floodplains through 13 major restoration projects. A 52-km cycle track is proposed along the floodplain.
Narela and Dwarka to Gain New Economic Roles
Narela is proposed to be developed as a world-class education hub, with 138 hectares reserved for universities, including public and private institutions.
Dwarka is envisaged as an international gateway and new investment hub, with world-class infrastructure and facilities for future-oriented sectors such as information technology, startups, data centres and industrial parks.
Integrated Transport Network
The plan proposes a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority as a single authority for planning, development, implementation and enforcement of an integrated transport system.
Multi-modal transit hubs will be developed to provide seamless connectivity among the Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), buses, intermediate public transport, walking and cycling.
Development of UER-I, UER-II and UER-III is expected to strengthen intra-city and inter-state connectivity, with UER-II already providing improved connectivity.
A Unified Parking Planning Framework will also be introduced for integrated planning, management and regulation of parking facilities.
Simplified Regulations and Faster Approvals
MPD-2047 proposes online approvals and streamlined processes to improve both ease of doing business and ease of living.
The plan reduces the number of use premises categories from 133 to 45 and introduces a negative-list approach for residential, commercial and industrial use zones, providing greater flexibility in land use.
Plot-based redevelopment will be encouraged by removing the existing four-hectare area-level requirement. Commercial redevelopment will also receive higher FAR incentives, while the minimum plot size for commercial redevelopment has been reduced to 1,000 sq m.
Regularisation of Unauthorised Colonies
The plan provides for regularisation of residential buildings in 1,511 unauthorised colonies on an “as is where is” basis.
Layout plans will not be required for the regularisation process, which is expected to simplify procedures and provide greater property ownership security to around 45 lakh residents.
Infrastructure and Net-Zero Development
The Master Plan proposes expansion of sewage treatment plants and sewerage infrastructure to improve water quality and support efforts to clean the Yamuna.
It also promotes net-zero development through energy-efficient buildings and low-carbon urban planning, along with rooftop solar, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, waste-to-resource initiatives and green mobility.
GIS-based planning and digital platforms will be used to promote transparent, efficient and data-driven urban governance.
Green Connect Network
A Green Connect Network will be developed to improve access to recreational spaces and strengthen ecological connectivity across the city.
The plan provides for expansion of green cover through urban forests, biodiversity parks, ecological corridors and indigenous plantations.
Strengthening Delhi’s Capital Core
MPD-2047 seeks to strengthen the administrative and ceremonial core of the national capital, including the redevelopment of Kartavya Path as a world-class public and cultural space.
The plan also provides for the development of the Yuge Yugeen National Museum, spread over approximately 1.25 lakh sq m, as a major cultural institution.
Low-Density Areas
A planned and regulated framework has been proposed for nearly 150 sq km of Low-Density Areas (LDA), covering areas along Delhi’s peripheral villages and 23 notified Low-Density Residential Area (LDRA) villages.
Development in these areas will be linked to arterial roads extending from land-pooling zones. A uniform planning framework will permit residential, recreational, public and semi-public facilities and commercial activities while maintaining regulated growth and protecting ecological areas.
The Delhi Master Plan 2047 is aimed at providing a long-term framework for housing, mobility, infrastructure, economic development, environmental protection and heritage conservation, with the broader objective of creating a more inclusive, sustainable and future-ready capital aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
