20.04.

2020

Does T.O.D cater to various socio-economic groups?

Saarthak Gulhani
170BARCHI020
Research and Methodology (16BAR-5RM32S)
Sushant School of Art and Architecture

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION TO THE AREA OF RESEARCH

MIXED-USE BUILDINGS, T.O.D and COMMUNITY LIVING

Urbanization has led to horizontal growth of the cities thus creating problems of urban sprawl. This
has resulted in increase of trip lengths and higher usage of private vehicles, problems of pollution
and increased demand of infrastructure. To address these issues, many cities have strengthened
their public transport by developing mass rapid transit systems (MRTS) such as metro rails and Bus
Rapid Transit Systems (BRTS). It is however, important to efficiently use these systems by integrating
the land use with the transport infrastructure to make the cities liveable, healthy and smart.

TOD integrates land use and transport planning and aims to develop planned sustainable urban
growth centres, having walkable and liveable communes with high density mixed land-use. Citizens
have access to open green and public spaces and at the same time transit facilities are efficiently
utilized.

TOD focuses on compact mixed-use development around transit corridor such as metro rail, BRTS
etc. International examples have demonstrated that though transit system facilitates transit-
oriented development, improving accessibility and creating walkable communities is equally
important (Umare, 2012)

TOD evolves the city into an urban setting where multiple communities and occupations co-exist in a
hybrid setting with multiple functions in the vicinity. TOD not only inculcates the built form in the
setting, but also involves various groups of people and their settlement into the built fabric.

The city represents a form of social organisation in space. Its two fundamental aspects are a pattern
of social and a fabric of spatial forms. The city is both a way of organised social life and a
physical artefact. (Masjutina, 2016)

JUSTIFICATION OF RESEARCH/RESEARCH GAP

Gurgaon as a growing potential site for T.O.D

-Gurugram falls in the southern most region of State of Haryana, situated in vicinity of Delhi and falls
withing the NCR

-Gurugram has become a major centre for IT Industry, electronics, Garments, pharmaceuticals, apart
from automobile manufacturing hub in the country.
 20.04.2020

-On account of Gurugram’s proximity to the capital city of Delhi, Faridabad, Noida etc. the commuter
traffic between the cities has experienced an exponential growth in the last few years.

-The traffic circulation pattern within Gurugram has become heavily overburdened due to explosive
population growth and rising traffic demand.

-This serves as a great potential to flourish the TOD incorporation in the city, with the ever-growing
footfall and commuter population to the city. (Affairs, 2016)

With more MNCs and Corporates setting up in Gurgaon, the no. of commuters, residents and
employees tends to increase. There is an increasing demand for housing in neighbourhoods around
public transit projects. Average prices for homes near TOD areas may be costlier than in areas far
from such developments. This may deter Affordable Housing. In this context, those with poor
purchasing power may get replaced by the richer households through the process of Gentrification.
The TOD in the influence zone maybe planned in a manner so as to facilitate Affordable Housing. The
allocated minimum percentage for allowed FAR for Affordable Housing as per the present TOD
policy maybe revised. (Mirrow Now, 2018)

Gurgaon as a city has offered job opportunities to all social and economic divisions of the society,
and will continue to do so as the setup involves entire hierarchy of working-class individuals.

TOD hubs offer interactive site for development on and around the node, which would directly lead
to heavy price tags attached to it. This factor is a direct filter which filters only certain, High income
groups to have ownership rights and resources.

this may also result in the exclusion of the low-mobility, low-income groups that were located on the
TOD corridor who may be considered captive groups for public transit. These groups may then be
replaced by middle-income or high-income groups that already own cars, can own properties and
would be reluctant to use public transit in the absence of adequate push factors in the form of high
taxation and fuel prices.

AIM, OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

AIM

To analyse the impact of TOD and Mixed-use architecture on urban scale city planning. To
understand the impacts of such planning on Environment, pollution levels and land control
measures. The architecture directly having an impact on environmental consequences could
increase scope of developing Mixed-use architecture in Gurgaon.

• provision of affordable housing

• provision for variety of housing choices to meet the needs of all sections of society
• progressive and flexible parking policies which deter use of privately owned vehicles and
incentivize people to use mass transport
• charging higher market rates for parking
• encouraging walking and cycling through creation of infrastructure that’s safe
• mainstreaming TOD as part of statutory/building/city plans and making use of innovative
tools and incentives to finance TOD initiatives and projects into the existing policy
framework. (Masjutina, 2016)
 20.04.2020

There is a need for a robust policy framework governing TOD in India which is applied across
national and state levels.

In a vast set up like Gurgaon where all socio-economic groups exist, it is necessary that the town
planning and urban development caters to all socio-economic groups and communities as all of
them combine to form the social structure of the city.

The societies might have huge number of people belonging to high-income groups but it is important
to accept that the societies can’t function without the existence, services and presence of low/mid
income groups as well.

The TOD is a pure showcase of development, but it shouldn’t be a factor that creates a divide in the
society, based on social/economic divisions or inequalities.

SCOPE

Gurugram has witnessed a rapid growth in population in recent decades. Its population is expected
to increase from 25 lacs presently to 42 lacs by the year 2031 as per DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF
GURGAON MANESAR URBAN COMPLEX (GMUC)

Keeping in view the expected increase in travel demand as a consequent of population growth, the
existing yellow line of Delhi Metro has been extended up to HUDA City Centre, Gurgaon and further
extension of Metro along Northern Periphery Road (NPR) and Southern Periphery Road (SPR) has
been planned by the State. (department, 2014)

As the construction of Metro system entails huge capital investment for its construction, operation
and maintenance, TOD becomes imperative to ensure smart growth and financial sustainability.
In the absence of appropriate policy guidelines on NMT in the TOD policy in Gurgaon it is necessary
to evolve land use zoning regulations for TOD/DOT around metro stations in Gurgaon and proposed
corridors (Prof. Sewa Ram, 2016)

With increasing number of income opportunities and development schemes in and around the
upcoming and existing TOD zones, we will see a jump of higher income groups transiting towards
these zones, with these sections of society setting up, they bring along a requirement for the
services and existence of multiple socio-economic groups in the set-up.

In such a circumstance, the development program must have provision and services that cater to all
sections of the society, which otherwise will create a divide and restrict the usage and accessibility of
the TOD program and its functions to certain number of people in the society.

OBJECTIVES

In a country like India, where principles like equality can be traced back to its roots, it is almost
impossible and unfair to boycott such fundamentals in this sphere.

The main objective is to have the development plan not just oriented towards providing the services
and opportunities to certain, privileged, and resourceful sections of the society, but to create an
urban sphere where all socio-economic groups and communities have not only a sense of belonging,
but also see it as an opportunity to earn, live and exist in a community type hybrid environment.
 20.04.2020

Mixed land use should be stipulated for development/ redevelopment in the TOD zone as it would
reduce the need for travel by providing most of the activities such as shopping, entertainment and
public amenities such as schools, parks, playgrounds, hospitals etc. within the walking distance of
the residents. It would also improve the accessibility of the transit facilities and at the same time link
origins and destinations, i.e. residences with work places or activity nodes. This would ensure better
utilization of transit fleet by distributing loads in both directions, rather than creating unidirectional
peak hour flows.

To ascertain mixed use development along with the required street network and open spaces, the
minimum plot area in the influence zone should be defined. The developer may, however, be
permitted to undertake construction in a phased manner. In case, the individual landowners want to
collaborate for development as per TOD norms, necessary provisions may be made to facilitate it.
The landowner(s) may also be permitted to collaborate with developers in case they lack the
required experience and institutional & financial capacity to undertake such development as per
TOD norms. However, care needs to be taken that the amalgamated plots are redesigned to allow
finer network of streets and dispersion of open spaces. (department, 2014)

Urbanization of more and more cities in India happens to be a reality in immediate future, which
brings an inevitable task providing comfortable, convenient, safe and rapid facilitations. TOD is a
step towards sustainable development having people- centric, resource conserving and healthier
environment characteristics. Proposed development of smart cities in India can be clubbed with TOD
strategies to have greater benefits with ecological balance.

LIMITATIONS

-Restriction of development in and around TOD zones only, which is 800m radius around the Metro
station/public node.

-The land prices around these epicentres would shoot up, making it out of reach for many sections of
society.

- the level of collaboration between various partners, e.g. government, business, planning and land-
use agencies and civil community, is critical for the success of the development. It is especially a case
for the developing countries where joint urban projects often fail due to the high level of corruption,
bureaucracy and a short-term vision of authorities.

-Potential guidelines for TOD in Gurugram shall be recommended for influence zone of metro
stations proposed along southern periphery road.

-Lesser scope of development around Golf course road, since the basic layout and planning is already
done, involving less of hybrid architecture. (Development, 2016)
 20.04.2020

METHODOLOGY

DATA ANALYSIS-

1. Land use pattern/built up space around metro stations and other potential sites like SPR.
2. Metro user characteristics and other stakeholders, analysis of involvement of different
socio-economic groups in this urban settlement and importance of their interdependence.
3. Fluctuating (rising) prices of land around the Metro stations and other TOD nodes along the
tracks and SPR corridor.
4. Public transport network, Existing and upcoming/planned, to understand the
trends/planning of progress in the current and future scenario.
5. Potential travel demand for various land uses and various modes of transport, for multiple
social groups, when the establishment provides income and work opportunities for people.
6. Govt. plans and proposals to convert multiple existing zones into TOD and the changes in
current norms to compliment the land use patterns for Hybrid buildings.
7. Govt. plans to establish the upcoming TOD zones and the norms finalised, which will anchor/
dictate the building typology and architecture language of the place, giving a new definition
to that place.
8. To analyse what working class population belonging to various socio-economic groups feel
about engagement with the society in such a set-up, and their dependence/utilization of
public transport network, a quantitative method of surveys will be done with a sample size
of 1500 (500 from each, Higher, middle and lower class), aided by Interviews to get
qualitative data and in-depth analysis of about 150 people.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Norms and planning proposals that cater to various sections of the society that comprise of the
entire working-class population.

Provision for all socio-economic groups to be given ample opportunities to a progress, prosper,
develop and exist.

The pace and focus to be such that the development is not restricted to any specific region or area,
but is spread over an area to eliminate any inequality.
 20.04.2020

REFERENCES

Affairs, N. I. o. U., 2016. Transit Oriented Development for Indian Smart Cities. [Online]
Available at: https://tod.niua.org/
[Accessed 19 April 2020].

Anon., n.d. [Online].

Ar. Puneet Pandey, D. A. S. P., 2018. Indore as a tradionally TOD City, Indore: JIRMPS.

botte, M., 2015. The connection of urban form and traveller behaviour, dresden: Dresden university
of technology.

Deogaonkar, V., 2014. Impact of Transit Oriented Development on Regional Cities of Australia, s.l.:
Deakin University.

department, t. a. u. p., 2014. https://tcpharyana.gov.in. [Online]

Available at: https://tcpharyana.gov.in/ncrpb/TOD%20Notification%205.9.2014%20CCP%20NCR.pdf
[Accessed 19 April 2020].

Development, M. o. u., 2016. national transient oriented development policy, New delhi: Ministry of
housing and urban affairs.

Masjutina, S., 2016. Benefits and Challenges of Transit Oriented Development. [Online]
Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/benefits-challenges-transport-oriented-development-
svetlana-masjutina
[Accessed 19 April 2020].

Mirrow Now, 2018. Transit-oriented Development: Tool for transition in Gurgaon. [Online]
Available at: https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/in-focus/article/transit-oriented-
development-tool-for-transition-in-gurgaon/168398
[Accessed 19 April 2020].

padeiro, M., 2019. Transit-oriented development and gentrification: a systematic review. Taylor &
Francis online, 31 July.

Prof. Sewa Ram, R. K., 2016. Zoning and development regulations for TOD, Gurgaon: LUTP.

Rutul Joshi, Y. J., 2017. Transit Oriented development-lessons from Indin experiences, Ahemedabad:
CEPT University.

Siegel, C., 2018. What is the hybrid architecture definition?. [Online]

Available at: https://blog.axway.com/hybrid-integration/hybrid-architecture-definition
[Accessed 18th,Otober October 2018].

SOM, 2019. archdaily. [Online]

Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/tag/mixed-use-tower
[Accessed April 2020].

Trivedi, V. P. S. &. T., 2018. Transit Oriented Development - Challenges and Proposed Regulatory
Framework. [Online]
Available at: https://www.nbmcw.com/tech-articles/metro-tunneling/38862-jtransit-oriented-
 20.04.2020

development-challenges-and-proposed-regulatory-framework.html
[Accessed 19 April 2020].

Umare, M., 2012. Transit Oriented Development- A tool for sustainable urbanization of India.
Technical Journal, 2(Institute of Engineers), p. 5.

UTTIPEC, 2012. TOD Norms policy Guidelines, New Delhi: Delhi Development Authority.