New Delhi, April 7 In a major push for affordable housing and transit-linked urban growth, the Centre on Tuesday approved sweeping reforms to its Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policy along metro and rapid rail corridors.
Under the new norms, previous restrictions on land use have been removed, the minimum plot size requirement to avail the scheme has been reduced, 65 per cent of the total floor area ratio (FAR) of the built-up area (BUA) has to be earmarked for small residential units, and a single window system for speedy clearances has been approved.
FAR and BUA are real estate metrics. While BUA is the total area of all floors in a building, FAR is the ratio of BUA and the plot size of that building, indicating the construction density.
According to officials, a 500-meter area on both sides of any metro line will be known as "TOD Zones" where the scheme will be implemented along the transit corridor.
Previously, the minimum requirement for developing a residential plot under the TOD scheme was 1 hectare of land. Now, this requirement has been reduced to 2000 square metres, Sarvana Kumar, DDA vice-chairman, said.
Further, the restrictions on mixed land use have been removed, meaning in the TOD zone, alongside housing, businesses can also operate, but there is a cap on the space.
Also, a maximum FAR up to 500 is permitted in TOD Zones on plot sizes of 2,000 sqm and above, with an 18-meter road.
This means if one has a plot of 2000 sqm next to an 18-meter-wide road in a TOD zone, the entity would have the permit to build floor space five times the plot size.
"65 per cent of total permissible FAR has been mandatorily earmarked for residential use with housing unit with built-up area of 100 sqm, thereby providing for affordable housing along the metro corridor," Kumar further said.
This restriction implies that on the total space, 65 per cent of it has to be reserved for housing.
Out of the remaining 35 per cent of FAR, 10 per cent is to be used for the provision of commercial and amenities for the housing area, the policy states.
To boost ease of doing business, a TOD committee has been constituted by the Centre to give sanctions under the policy, which will have the mandate to clear any proposal within 60 days of receiving it.
"The policy envisages a high-density, mixed-use planned development specifically aiming at the creation of affordable housing along all metro corridors," DDA officials said.
According to Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, ML Khattar, the TOD policy will even promote last-mile connectivity, as there is a provision to directly connect to a metro station under the policy.
"Under the plan, enhanced walkability for residents in the TOD plots, new underground, elevated pedestrian walkways can be provided for connecting to the metro stations," Khattar said.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, "Under the TOD policy, planned, high-density, and mixed-use development will be promoted in approximately 207 square kilometres of area within a 500-meter radius around Metro and RRTS corridors."
As per the simplified TOD charges, Rs 10,000 per sqm will be charged, and the amount collected under a ring-fenced escrow account for development in TOD Zones.
The amount in this account will be divided among other agencies like the Delhi Jal Board and Municipal Corporation of Delhi for taking up projects in these areas only, officials added.