PLANNING PROCESS IN INDIA

S9.B.Arch
What is Physical Planning?
According to Dictionary of Urban /Regional planning
by Kulshreshtha,2006 ;

“Physical planning is a process of formulation of plan of a

settlement or region which serves as a tool in guiding the
manner in which land will be used for various socio-economic
& physical activities & provision of infrastructure and
development therein shall be carried out by public or private
agencies”.
Planning Process in India
 Planning is a continuous, time-oriented, cyclic
process and, therefore, spatial development
planning shall be seen and practiced as a process
where planning, implementation, monitoring,
review and plan updations go on as a dynamic
process.
Planning Process
 It is a cyclic process consisting of
 Identification of goals & objectives
 Assessment of issues, potentials, & priorities
 Evolution of alternative plans & their evaluation
 Selection of most appropriate concept for
development
 Preparation of plan based on selected concept
 Implementation of plan
 Feed back & review
Planning Process

(source: URDPFI guidelines 2014)

National Planning
 In India land is a state subject & hence scope of
planning at national level is limited to providing
advice to sate govts. and formulation of policies,
programmes, guidelines & legislation .
 Plans are basically formalised in the Five Year Plans
which are economic and social in nature and contents
 Eg: policies like NH&HP, programmes like JNNURM,
 URDPFI guidelines, model laws like Model urban and
regional planning and development law.
Regional & local Planning
 the Central Government has been encouraging State
Governments to make provision to decentralise the planning
exercise and form local self-governments in the spirit of 74th
Constitution Amendment Act.
 The planning process in the cities of India were initially
managed by Sanitary Commissions which further evolved to
Improvement Trusts and later urban local bodies– Municipal
Corporations were formed.
 the Municipal Bodies were found highly inefficient to meet the
planning requirements of large cities or the metropolitan areas
and Urban Development Authorities/ Metropolitan Authorities
with were formed.
Hierarchy of planning system in India

 According to URDPFI guidelines 2014, the

planning systems in India can be broadly
categorized as the following based on :
1. Hierarchy
2. Spatial extents
3. Scale of planning
4. Details provided in the plan
5. Function and their specialty
Hierarchy of planning system in India
 The urban and regional planning system could be divided under two
heads, a) Core Area Planning and b) Specific and Investment
Planning.
 The Core Area Planning could comprise a set of 4 interdependent
plans: (i) a long term Perspective Plan with a vision and policy
orientation, (ii) a sustainability based long term Regional Plan (and
District Plans) with optimisation of regional resources for
development, (iii) a comprehensive long term settlement plan as
Development Plan for urban and peri urban areas (iv) A short term
rolling Local Area Plan within the framework of Development Plan.
 The Specific and Investment Planning could comprise a set of three
plans, (i) A rolling Special Purpose Plan for special areas within the
framework of Development Plan, (ii) Annual Plans to translate the
physical and fiscal resource requirement of Development/ local
Area Plan, and (iii) Project/ Research to focus on items of
Hierarchy of planning system in India
1.Perspective Plan
 The Perspective plan is a document on the spatio-economic
development policies, strategies and programmes towards the
intended development of the State.
 the foundation of the long-term policies regarding
development of infrastructure and resource mobilisation for
the next 20-25 years.
 The purpose of a perspective plan is to provide overall
framework for further detailing; and it serves as a guide for
urban local authorities and regional development authorities
in preparation of the regional and development plans.
2.Regional Plan
 Regional plan is to be a comprehensive plan at an appropriate
scale for the integration of urban nodes with the semi-urban and
rural areas.
 The plan shall encompass characteristics of the region on the
understanding of the flow of people, goods, knowledge and
money.
 the requirements of the region will be addressed by the regional
plan to bring out policies for development and bringing in
harmony between the different types of human settlements
 Regional Plan will have higher magnitude (in terms of its
geographical area coverage) and would encompass planning of
larger area.
3.Development Plan
 Development plan is a statutory plan prepared within the
framework of the approved perspective plan, approved and
adopted by the local authority and its proposals are precise
and definite with an implementation strategy and
evaluation criteria.
 The objective of a development plan is to provide further
necessary details and intended actions in the form of
strategies and physical proposals for various policies given
in the perspective plan depending upon the economic and
social needs and aspiration of the people, available
resources and priorities.
 The approved development plan allows the local authority to
implement the development of the land area with the help of
schemes and projects.
 Development plan ‘notifies the property owners the manner in
which their properties will be affected’
 The time frame of the existing Development Plans is for a
period of 20 years by most of the urban development
authorities/ULB
 These plans should be in phases of 5 years to coincide with
the State Five Year plans
 both Development plans and Master plans have the same
functions and impose similar controls. Hence, the two are to
be understood as similar plans with variation in the use of
nomenclatures by State Governments.
4.Local Area Plan
 Local area plans are to be prepared to achieve development
or re-development of land; conservation of buildings,
physical features; providing improvements in the physical
layout, making infrastructure and amenities available and
managing the area to enhance health and safety of the
occupants to support economic development as well as to
enhance the quality of living, environment, and preparation
of area specific regulatory parameters for the area covered.
 The plan shall identify allotment or reservation of land for
roads and public purposes of all kinds, for sale by the ULB,
for construction, for reclamation etc.
5.Special Purpose Plan
 The Special Purpose Plan cannot be treated as
Development plan as it emerges from its proposal.
 Depending on the urgency of the needs and
priorities requiring special treatment and covering
special aerial extent - Special Purpose Plans for
specific subjects can be prepared within the
framework of the Regional Plan, Development Plan
or Local Area Plan in the area of jurisdiction of the
local authority
 These plans may also emerge to serve the purpose of urban
planning needs under the Capital or State grants, funding
schemes/ programmes with an aim to:
1. Encourage reforms and fast track planned development of
cities, peri-urban areas, outgrowths, urban corridors, and
others,
2. Scale-up delivery of civic amenities and provision of
utilities with emphasis on universal access to the urban poor,
3. Special focus on urban renewal programme,
4. Supplement to budget documents on ULBs,
5. Sustainability, Environmental and heritage protection,
6. Theme based development
6.Annual Plan
 An Annual Plan would contain the details of the new and
ongoing projects that the local authority intends to implement
during each financial year for necessary financial resource
mobilisation.
 The annual plan is to be prepared by the local authority every
year to identify the new projects, which the authority will
undertake for implementation during the year, taking into
account the physical and fiscal performance of the preceding
year, the priorities, the policies and proposals contained in the
approved Regional Plan, Development Plan or Local Area Plan.
 It is an important document for the resource mobilisation as on
the basis of this, the plan funds are to be allocated by the funding
body. This plan, therefore, serves as an important link with the
budgetary process.
7.Projects /reasearch
 Conceived within the framework of the perspective plan,
development plan or any of the plans in the planning
system, projects are the working layouts with all supporting
infrastructure and documents including cost, source of fund
and recovery providing all necessary details for execution
including finance, development, administrative and
management.
 These projects could be for any area, old or new; any
activity or land use like residential, commercial, industrial,
recreational, educational or health related; or infrastructure
development, separately or in an integrated manner
Hierarchy of planning system in India
Inter-relationships among various plans

 A Perspective Plan is formulation of development strategy

generally at the State level or at the regional level
 This is detailed further in Regional Plan or Sub Regional
Plan as the case may be and in Development Plan.
 Regional Plans are to be prepared at district and
metropolitan region level, and where economic regions are
formulated.
 The Development Plan shall provide policies and
development proposals, which are detailed in the local
area plan to a greater scale.
 City Development Plan, Comprehensive Mobility
Plan, City Sanitation Plan, Slum Redevelopment
Plan, Disaster Management Plan are to be
formulated- areas which require special plan within
the framework of the development plan
 Project reports and Annual plans are necessary
requirements of the planning system. these can be
prepared for implementation of plans following any
of the above mentioned stages.
Inter-relationships among various plans
Planning process in India
 State Town & Country Planning Department is
instructed by the state government to prepare the
Master Plan.
 the state government notifies the development
boundary/ Area for planning
 State Town planning department prepares a draft
Master Plan after conducting surveys, analysis of
existing situation, after anticipating future
economic & social growth.
Planning process in India
 This draft Master Plan is subjected to public opinions;
Public objections and opinion are invited.
 after incorporating modifications; finally draft plan is
finalized and sent to state govt. for approval.
 The Master Plan after the consent of govt. is notified and
date of publication is generally the date of implementation of
plan.
 Development Authority/muncipal corporations are the
custodian of Master Plans and are entrusted the
responsibilities of implementing the proposals of Master
Plan
Planning process in India
 As per the act, development authorities have to make zonal
development plans on the basis of basic frame work provided
under Master Plan
 Entire city is generally divided into planning zones and building

inspecters posted in particular zones check the development

process and ensure and all construction works happens as per the
Master Plan
 In Indian urban development planning process generally Master

Plans are prepared by town planning dept. but implementation is

done by Development Authorities, Municipal Corporation etc
and because of lack of coordination in these agencies many
provisions of Master Plans are generally not accepted.
 Planning techniques

planners use variety of techniques at various stages of the planning process. These techniques may
relate to surveys for collection of data, assessment of existing conditions in a town, as well as
analysis and projections of future requirements in respect of various activities.
 The preparation of any plan for the development of
an urban area, city or town requires reliable factual
data regarding existing physical and socio-
economic conditions such as housing, transport,
industries, employment and social services such as
schools, hospitals and recreational facilities. The
process of collecting such data is called a "Planning
Survey".
 Mr. G K Hiraskar defined in his book Town planning that;
“Survey means collection of data & information through site
visit & personal observations”.
 Similarly there is a principle developed by Sir Patrick Geddes
(one of the pioneer of modern town planning) that “always
survey before plan”.
 This survey of site before planning is also known as “diagnosis
before the treatment” or diagnosis approach of planners that
lead them to make correct decisions about the city.
 The collected data & information through survey is analyzed &
presented in the form maps, charts, tables & models.
Types of surveys based on URDPFI norms 2014

1. Socio -Economic Survey:

 Demographic survey is concerned with collection of

socio-economic data regarding characteristics of

human populations, such as size, growth, density,
distribution, and vital statistics. This survey forms
base for not only understanding current socio-
demographic characteristics of specific area but also
projection of future population and related
infrastructure
2. Land use/utilisation Surveys:
 Land use survey is commonly undertaken with the

purpose to identify developed and undeveloped areas

for analysis of physical distribution and condition of
existing development for future projections.
 In case of ground verification of the land use map

prepared by remote access or by various secondary

sources, landuse of a defined land parcel can be
observed by undertaking a well-planned exercise.
 The developed area can then be further sub-classified
into following major categories:
 Residential area
 Commercial area
 Industrial area
 Public and semi-public use
 Parks and playfields
 Transportation
 Other uses
 Vacant land
 The undeveloped land can be further sub-classified
as:
 Agricultural
 Conservation areas
 Undevelopable land
 In regional context sub divisions of land utilisation can be:

 Forest
 Area under non-agricultural uses
 Barren and unculturable land
 Permanent pasture and other grazing land
 Miscellaneous tree crops and groves
 Culturable waste land
 Fallow lands
 Net area sown
3.Density Surveys:
 Density surveys are done to understand the
relationship between built-up area and population
density.
 It is taken up for assessment of infrastructure
requirements, to reduce congestion, appropriate
availability of land for specific activities and services
required by residents for good quality of life.
3.1. Residential Density:
 Residential density surveys are undertaken with the
objective to understand the accommodation density,
built-up area density and the residing population
density.
 Based on the analysis from this survey, the decisions
on the control and promotional measures can be taken.
3.2.Non-Residential Density:
 Density in non-residential areas is carried out for
assessment and provision of appropriate quantity and
quality of services to the users of study area.
 a method based upon the floor space index (FSI) is
used to calculate non-residential density.
 The FSI survey gives some idea whether the amount of
land requires to be increased or reduced for different
land uses.
4.Infrastructure Surveys:
 Infrastructure survey includes the survey of existing
infrastructure within and surrounding the study area.
 The result of infrastructure survey is compared to
benchmarks and parameters provided by National/
Government authorities. Such survey includes physical
as well social infrastructure.
 Physical infrastructure indicators: transportation,
water supply, waste water, sewerage, solid waste
management infrastructure.
 Social infrastructure indicators: educational, civic
and utilities, health care, recreation infrastructure
etc.
 Key parameters to be assessed in the survey are
capacity, utilisation, gap assessment, issues
associated as well as technology.
5.Transportation Surveys:
 Transportation infrastructure survey is undertaken to
comprehend the transport network and the movement
of commuters in the city.
 It comprises survey of traffic volume, commuter load
of different forms of commutation, parking survey and
others. Following section covers this in detail.
( Source: URDPFI Guidelines,2014)
6.Landscape survey:
 Helps in recording & studying in detail about existing
natural ,ecological & geological features of the
planning region.
 The topography, physical features such as hills,
valleys, water bodies, wet lands & such
environmentally sensitive zones, flora & fauna etc