The proposed Delhi Master Plan 2021 faced a lot of opposition from politicians and the elected representatives taking exception to the fact that their suggestions were not incorporated in the forthcoming master plan of Delhi.

There was also a hint of dissatisfaction that none of the 7,000 suggestions from the public grievances committee and DDA board of inquiry had recommended were included in it. Moreover, there were allegations that the MPD-2021 guidelines were faulty with no relief ensued to the people whose needs have increased over the years.

The redefined master plan chalked out of the draft has been created keeping in mind all the issues that will be beneficial to the people at large and development of the city.

• A thrust to IT industries in Delhi and shifting of hazardous industries to the NCR
• A five-tier commercial centre system, which is headed by the Metropolitan City Centre, and followed by district centers, community centers, local shopping centers and convenience shopping centers
• A green belt of the depth of one village according to the land revenue records to be developed all around the Capital. This was an independent proposal that was later incorporated in the draft and then in the final Master plan
• Shifting of all wholesale markets from Old Delhi and other areas to the city's outskirts. Land at Bawana and Holambi Kalan has already been earmarked for this and the process of shifting is underway
• Heritage plans, including archaeological parks
• The perspective plans for physical infrastructure including water, power, drainage and sewerage
• A new parking policy has been recommended in both which is currently being developed jointly by the Delhi government and the MCD

Transport
The Delhi Master plan-2021 speaks of the major projects which should ease the traffic situation in Delhi. These projects include the Integrated Multi-Modal Transport System - the Metro, Ring Rail, High-Capacity Bus System and IRBT. These have also been identified in the NCR Board's Regional plan.

The Delhi Master Plan-2021 also stresses that district and community centers should be developed along major transport corridors and networks to "prevent unintended and unplanned ribbon development". One of the main reasons behind this is the mushrooming of a lot of unauthorized commercial development along these transport corridors which includes major arterial roads in the city.

• The MPD-2021 indicates the development of a Unified Metro Transport Authority, proposed earlier but not implemented till date
• The MPD-2021 also proposes a synergy between land use and transport corridors which is indicated but not elaborated in the draft. By this, the DDA can plan commercial development and hotel sites along transport corridors in Delhi, especially in the new urban extensions to be developed by the urban local body where all expressways, highways and arterial roads will have dedicated commercial space on either side

Inclusion of Sept 15, 22 notifications
The two main highlights and new additions in the Delhi Master plan 2021 is the inclusion of the Urban Development Ministry's September 15 and 22 notifications aimed at regularizing most of the unauthorized constructions and residential plots being misused as commercial plots in the city

Mixed land use, increased FAR
The Delhi Master Plan-2021 has indicated a more liberal mixed land use in the city which clearly states that "non-residential activity on residential premises should be permitted selectively and carefully taking into consideration community needs, environmental impact and provision for safe and easy traffic and parking".

The final plan has, however, allowed increased floor area ratio (FAR) - that is more floors and construction - on all plots, including residential, schools and all other educational institutes, hospitals, nursing homes and even industrial plots for the first time. In addition to the 120 mixed land use roads already notified by the DDA, the Master plan-2021 incorporates the 2,183 roads for commercial/mixed land use notified by the MCD on September 15, 2006.

The Master plan has further permitted small shops for daily needs in residential areas, nursing homes and clinics as well as commercial use of industrial plots, although only after acquiring permission, which was so far banned.

Special-category Park
The DDA and MCD will for the first time develop multi-purpose parks. They will be developed exclusively for functions and marriages in response to the paucity of venues in the city.

New school sites
New school sites are to be developed adjacent to parks and playgrounds. This is a new specification in the MPD-2021, keeping in mind the scarcity of space in the city, maintaining that each school must have a playground. The DDA has also earlier proposed in a stand-alone proposal to the Ministry that the actual plot size of schools be reduced in a way that more than one school could share a common playground/park.

Hawking, no-hawking zones
Another inclusion in the Delhi Master plan-2021 is that of hawking and no-hawking zones, which are to be demarcated in colonies. Instead of making Delhi free of hawkers, the DDA proposes that hawking should be made into an organized sector. Certain areas have to be demarcated and developed for the hawkers to do business.