To ensure public participation in the review of the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021, urban development minister Kamal Nath has given elaborate directions to the DDA to set up a mechanism through which people would be consulted at each step.
According to officials of the ministry, Mr Nath has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to create area wise Master Plan review cells. Each review cell will be headed by an officer and would be responsible for a particular area of Delhi.
The names and contact details of each of these officers heading the review cells would be made available to the public to facilitate the receipt of representations. “The public should be encouraged to continue sending their suggestions up to 30 April, 2012,” Mr Nath was quoted as saying by a release issued by his ministry.
The release also stated that the DDA would hold “Open House” for each areas in order to factor in the ground realities and receive public feedback.
To facilitate greater and hassle free interaction with the public, the DDA has also been asked to create a designated space on their website, where each and every suggestion would be posted, the urban development ministry said.
Each suggestion and comment received on the Master Plan Review will be given a unique docket number specifying the sender and suggestion, the release added.
The DDA website would also have a search facility, whereby, suggestions on each issue can be easily be located along with the name of the person or organisation making the suggestion.
The urban development minister had also set up an Apex Committee on the review of the MPD 2021. The first report of the committee is expected not later than June 30, 2012, the urban development ministry press release said. This apex committee would formally submit the revised MPD — 2021 for the consideration of the ministry. The committee would be under the chairmanship of the lieutenant governor of Delhi Tejendra Khanna.