The draft plan puts impetus on connecting cities in NCR with helitaxi services to promote tourism (File)
The NCR Planning Board on Tuesday approved the Draft Regional Plan-2041 paving the way for a future-ready, slum-free National Capital Region with air ambulance facility and high-speed connectivity through helitaxis, road, rail and inland waterways.
The draft plan puts special impetus on 30-minute connectivity through super-fast trains within major cities of NCR and also proposes to explore feasibility of 30-minute Mass Transit Rail System (MTRS) from nearest NCR boundaries to Delhi.
According to an official statement, the plan was approved in a meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) on Tuesday which was chaired by Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs (MHOUA) Hardeep Singh Puri.
The approved draft plan will be made public soon for comments.
"Board has approved Draft Regional Plan-2041 with some modifications to be shared for public comments... It was desired that after carrying out necessary changes as per procedure to consider comments or feedbacks, efforts should be made to notify the final version of Regional Plan-2041 by the end of March 2022 with the approval of the board," a NCRPB statement said.
The meeting was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain and Rajasthan Urban Development Minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal and Uttar Pradesh Khadi Gram Udyog, MSME Minister Sidharth Nath Singh along with senior officials.
The Regional Plan-2041 envisages to make NCR a smart connected region by improving connectivity among towns with help of bullet trains, helitaxi services, smart roads and evolve the region into a economically prosperous region with citizen centric harmonious infrastructure.
It lays key focus on multi modal connectivity across NCR through air, road, rail and inland waterway connectivity.
"The draft plan also proposes promoting electric mobility infrastructure. The plan laid emphasis on circular economy of water and air quality improvements to help environment conservation. Urban regeneration, ease of living, slum-free NCR, 24 hours air ambulance, Swachh and Smart NCR are major initiatives of this Regional Plan," the statement said.
The draft plan states it is necessary to minimise journey times across NCR and limit travel times across NCR under 30-minutes by superfast trains and helitaxi services, within 60 minutes by other trains and two to three hours by car.
"Delhi should have 30-minute connectivity through superfast trains with major cities of NCR. Efforts should be directed towards easing out traffic congestions and create a more integrated, user-centric, accessible, and affordable transportation system," the Draft Regional Plan-2041 said.
The NCRPB covers entire Delhi, eight districts of Uttar Pradesh, 14 districts of Haryana and two districts of Rajasthan. Collectively it covers an area of about 55,083 square kilometres.
The draft plan puts impetus on connecting cities in NCR with helitaxi services to promote tourism and quick connectivity.
"Helitaxi service be provided at each district headquarters and tourist destinations to promote tourism," the Draft Regional Plan-2041 said.
The draft plan recommends creation of world class aviation hubs and facilities by developing a network of air transport across NCR with heliports and operational airports at every NCR district headquarter to promote "fly from Delhi NCR".
In addition to Eastern and Western Peripheral expressways, the Draft Regional Plan-2041 also recommends construction of two more regional expressways.
It said circular regional expressway connecting Panipat-Shamli-Meerut-Jewar-Nuh-Bhiwadi-Reqari-Jhajjar-Rohtak-Panipat and another such regional expressway connecting Karnal-Muzaffarnagar-Garhmukteshwar-Naraura-Aligarh-Mathura-Deeg -Alwar-Mahendragarh-Charkhi Dadri-Bhiwani-Jind- Kaithal-Karnal should be developed for balanced development of NCR-based facilities.
"The NCRPB chairman expressed his views that the Draft RP is an evolving document and views of the states on the draft provisions may be reviewed till it gets finalised and approved by the board for publication and implementation," the NCRPB statement said.
The draft plan also puts impetus on development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities across the NCR.
The regional plan says that population in the NCR is expected to grow to around 7 crore by 2031 and to about 11 crore by 2041 so there is a need to make the region "future-ready" for sustainable development.