Having missed five deadlines Master Plan Delhi 2021 is inching closer to its final notification. With several changes to the existing draft along with new proposals, officials say the master plan is developing into one geared towards affordable housing.

Two chapters still to be notified are transportation and environment. While the chapter on environment is said to be in its final stages and about to be sent for final notification after public feedback, the chapter on transportation is being reviewed by an expert panel. The whole process is expected to be wrapped up within three months' time.

The new master plan will offer 15% extra floor-area ratio (FAR) to group housing societies as an incentive to develop flats for economically weaker sections. This will be over the 400 FAR offered to these societies. The developers choosing to build flats on the over 22,000 hectares of pooled land can put the surplus land, afforded by the extra FAR, to commercial use but only after providing EWS housing," said Balvinder Kumar, vice-chairman, DDA.

Incentives in the form of additional FAR will also be used to transform existing commercial and residential spaces. According to the new master plan, if market associations or group housing societies agree to demolish and redevelop their properties in line with the new norms, they will be allowed 1.5 times the existing FAR.

The master plan will also provide benefits to those who live or work out of eco-friendly buildings. The proposal brought in by DDA will allow 1% to 5% of additional FAR to structures that adhere to the green building norms, based on the ratings given to them by certified agencies. "There are several known organizations that certify and rate the 'greenness' or environment-friendliness of buildings. The applicants can show us the ratings and earn the extra FAR," said a senior DDA official.

Another measure to preserve environment will be the creation of natural conservation zones. The major green spaces in Delhi, including biodiversity parks, regional parks and ridge area, will be part of NCZs. "The National Capital Region planning board had already conceived of this and we thought of incorporating it in our draft plans. Through this policy we will also contain the construction activity in the area. Construction in only 0.5% of these areas will be allowed," added the senior authority official.

MPD 2021 was first notified in February 2007 after which it is supposed to be reviewed every five years comprehensively and every two years in the form of a mid-term review.

After a review in 2012, DDA is right now working on a mid-term review of the plan. Around 120 modifications are estimated to have been made to the existing master plan. A new chapter on transit-oriented development is being added to the existing draft and the chapter on environment, introduced for the first time, is being finalized