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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Gujarat govt mulls legislation to conserve urban waterbodies, green spaces
Gandhinagar: With major cities and towns being plagued by rampant encroachments on waterbodies and green spaces, Gujarat govt is considering enacting legislation to protect and conserve urban waterbodies and green spaces. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The state urban development department has begun an exercise to draft the proposed legislation and is studying provisions of a similar act enacted by Assam, which will be replicated in the proposed legislation with new provisions. Top sources in the state govt said that a high-level committee formed by the urban development department has proposed new regulatory measures to conserve waterbodies and green spaces through the Urban Water Bodies and Green Spaces Protection and Conservation Act, which is in force in Assam. "The state govt is also proposing to introduce Water Bodies and Green Spaces Protection and Management Rules along the lines of the solid waste management (SWM) rules that were implemented by the Union govt," the officials said. Sources said that currently, India has an advisory on the conservation and restoration of water bodies, but in the absence of rules, urban bodies are not empowered to effectively implement the advisory. "The rules will provide the much-needed empowerment to the proposed urban water system cell that the govt aims to set up for conserving and protecting water bodies and green spaces," an official said. The proposed legislation is expected to be backed by an 'Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure' policy, which the UDD is currently preparing. "The proposed policy will underline the importance of blue-green infrastructure, ways of preserving it and will have key performance indicators to measure the progress of attempts to protect it. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The policy will also list global good practices and lessons for India," said UDD officials. "Regional plans would play a pivotal role in the conservation of water bodies and green spaces. Natural features like waterbody catchments or basins generally extend beyond urban boundaries. As of date, except for a few cities and regions, regional plans have not been formulated in the country," said an official, adding that the preparation of regional plans is central to the state's overall urban development plan. Ahmedabad has 156 lakes, with most of them located in the Sarkhej and Ramol-Hathijan areas. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is currently undertaking a project to revive 143 lakes, aiming to enhance water conservation, create public spaces and utilize them as stormwater sinks to prevent urban flooding. The civic body is in the process of taking possession of these waterbodies, with 103 approved and 25 already secured, supported by a significant increase in the lake development budget. However, this initiative is complicated by a major challenge — the district collector's office acknowledged that approximately 10 lakes in the city already have govt buildings built on them. These include police posts, warehouses, govt quarters and structures for telecom companies, allocated in the past due to land classification practices. Administrative and legal complications arising from these permanent structures have directly hindered AMC's attempts to gain possession of the lakes. The situation is further complicated by issues like encroachments and even AMC's own past construction of commercial shops on lake land. The recently released report of the high-level committee on urban planning by the UDD underlined the importance of saving the urban waterbodies as a buffer against urban flooding. In a city like Ahmedabad, previous reports indicate that the number of lakes was reduced from 204 in 1960 to 143 in 2025, even as the area of the city increased five times from 79 sq km to 480 sq km. The recommendations include the inclusion of conservation in the Gujarat Town Planning & Urban Development (GTPUD) Act 1976, about blue-green infrastructure, inclusion in comprehensive general development control regulations (CGDCR), urban blue-green infrastructure policy and additional regulatory mechanisms.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Gujarat government's new policy to enable cross-city transferable development rights
AHMEDABAD : The state govt is putting together a new redevelopment and Transferable Development Rights (TDR) policy that will, for the first time, create a regional development rights market in Gujarat . The policy framework proposes an inter-city TDR framework, allowing cross-city transfer of development rights in Ahmedabad, Surat , Vadodara , Rajkot and other urban centres while addressing various urban challenges. Currently, TDR certificates allow developers to build over and above the permissible floor space index (FSI) under prevalent rules by purchasing unused development rights from other properties or vacant land. "Usually, TDR systems operate within individual municipal boundaries. The new policy's inter-city framework means that a developer in Ahmedabad could potentially use TDR certificates generated from land in Surat. This creates a regional development rights market for the first time," said the UDD official. A senior official from the urban development and urban housing department (UDD) revealed that landlocked properties that cannot be developed due to access or regulatory constraints will be taken up, adding that the new redevelopment and TDR policy will open the floor for solutions to urban challenges like housing through slum redevelopment, repurposing closed factories for modern use, optimizing utility of transport hubs, and converting idle govt land into productive use. City-specific committees will streamlineand fast-track approvals and also oversee the policy's execution . "The policy reduces govt's financial burden by incentivizingdevelopers to undertake redevelopment projects. We will use data analytics to identify optimal redevelopment opportunities," the official added. "The policy will provide TDR rules specific to each redevelopment type," the senior UDD official said. He added, "The policy will define eligible areas, establish valuation methods, and lay down the issuance and usage guidelines. A robust monitoring mechanism will ensure transparency and measurable progress." Officials added that the policy will also consist of special implementation guides — similar to those used in Maharashtra — to aid both civic bodies and developers. TDR has been used in Maharashtra, including Kolhapur, to preserve heritage buildings by compensating owners who are restricted from redeveloping or modifying their properties. These owners receive TDR, which they can sell to developers, thus monetizing their development rights without altering the heritage site.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
New state govt policy to enable cross-city TDRs
Ahmedabad: The state govt is putting together a new redevelopment and Transferable Development Rights (TDR) policy that will, for the first time, create a regional development rights market in Gujarat. The policy framework proposes an inter-city TDR framework, allowing cross-city transfer of development rights in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and other urban centres while addressing various urban challenges. Currently, TDR certificates allow developers to build over and above the permissible floor space index (FSI) under prevalent rules by purchasing unused development rights from other properties or vacant land. "Usually, TDR systems operate within individual municipal boundaries. The new policy's inter-city framework means that a developer in Ahmedabad could potentially use TDR certificates generated from land in Surat. This creates a regional development rights market for the first time," said the UDD official. A senior official from the urban development and urban housing department (UDD) revealed that landlocked properties that cannot be developed due to access or regulatory constraints will be taken up, adding that the new redevelopment and TDR policy will open the floor for solutions to urban challenges like housing through slum redevelopment, repurposing closed factories for modern use, optimizing utility of transport hubs, and converting idle govt land into productive use. City-specific committees will streamlineand fast-track approvals and also oversee the policy's execution . "The policy reduces govt's financial burden by incentivizingdevelopers to undertake redevelopment projects. We will use data analytics to identify optimal redevelopment opportunities," the official added. "The policy will provide TDR rules specific to each redevelopment type," the senior UDD official said. He added, "The policy will define eligible areas, establish valuation methods, and lay down the issuance and usage guidelines. A robust monitoring mechanism will ensure transparency and measurable progress." Officials added that the policy will also consist of special implementation guides — similar to those used in Maharashtra — to aid both civic bodies and developers. TDR has been used in Maharashtra, including Kolhapur, to preserve heritage buildings by compensating owners who are restricted from redeveloping or modifying their properties. These owners receive TDR, which they can sell to developers, thus monetizing their development rights without altering the heritage site.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Green zone in Thane may be deleted for Metro 4 car depot
MUMBAI: The state urban development department (UDD) plans to delete a green zone at Mogharpada in Thane, and change its use, to clear the way for a metro car shed to be built for Line 4. The 32-km-long metro corridor, one of the longest metro lines in Mumbai, will connect Wadala in Mumbai with Kasarvadavli in Thane. An elevated corridor with 32 stations, it is 80% complete. A notification issued on March 20 proposes to change the use of the 176-hectare (435 acres) plot from a green zone, which prohibits construction, to a metro car depot. Surplus land will be used by the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority (MMRDA) for residential/commercial purposes. The UDD has sought the mandatory suggestions and objections from the public, after which a final notification will be issued. Located near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and the arterial Ghodbunder Road in Thane, the land in question is owned by the state but has traditionally been used for cultivation by 167 lessees. The government is still working on a compensation package that is amenable to the lessees. The car shed in question was to be built in Owale in Thane but was shifted to Mogharpada in the wake of the massive protests that erupted when the Metro 3 yard was built in the Aarey forest a few years ago. Since a large number of trees would have had to be axed in Owale, and only a few in Mogharpada, the site was moved. Work on Metro 4 began without a car depot site. The line was to be operational in 2024 but the new deadline is 2026. Line 4 will provide interconnectivity with the Eastern Express Highway, Central Railway, Mono Rail, ongoing Metro Line 2B (D N Nagar to Mandale), and the proposed Line 5 (Thane to Kalyan), Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar to Vikhroli) and Line 8 (Wadala to General Post Office). In the north, Metro 4 will be extended from Kasarvadavli to Gaimukh and will be called Line 4A. In the south, it will be extended from Wadala to General Post Office in South Mumbai, and will be called Metro 11. The Mogharpada car shed will service all these metro lines.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Bengaluru to have three corporations under GBG Act, indicates CM
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while announcing the notification of the Greater Bengaluru Area on Thursday, said that there will be at least three corporations in Bengaluru. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, that has come into effect from May 15, Thursday, provides for one to seven municipal corporations, each with up to 150 wards. Mr. Siddaramaiah has now indicated that the current civic limits will likely be divided into three corporations. Statusquo for now However, till the new corporations are notified, the current Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will continue to work as it is. All functionaries will continue to have the same powers and discharge duties as per the BBMP Act, 2020. The transition will be gradual, sources said. Meanwhile, the Urban Development Department (UDD) on Thursday notified that the present civic limits - BBMP area of 709 sq kms - will be the new Greater Bengaluru Area. The Brand Bengaluru Committee and the Joint Legislature Committee that looked into the law recommended earmarking the Greater Bengaluru Area to be governed by the Chief Minister-led Greater Bengaluru Authority, at around 1,000 sq. km, including around 25 urban villages on the city's outskirts. The act provides for the same. 709 sq. km area However, the UDD has now notified the Greater Bengaluru Area to be only the existing BBMP area of 709 sq. km. 'There was an intense lobby by legislators of several areas around Bengaluru, including as far as parts of Tumakuru district, to include them in the Greater Bengaluru Area. Not all requests can be accommodated. Moreover, at least till new corporations are drawn up, some bare minimum civic infrastructure comes up in these new villages, just declaring them as part of civic limits will only confuse. So, as a beginning, we have declared the BBMP area as Greater Bengaluru Area, but this will probably be expanded as and when we draw up the boundaries of multiple corporations,' a senior official said. The Hindu had recently reported on how lobbying by legislators and economic constraints may force the State government to limit the Greater Bengaluru Area to the jurisdiction of the currently functional BBMP. Soon, the State government is expected to constitute the Greater Bengaluru Area under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and name Additional Chief Secretary, UDD, and Administrator, BBMP, Tushar Giri Nath as the Administrator, GBA, who will then spearhead the transition of the city to the new governance structure.
