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The Union government on Thursday notified the Master Plan for Delhi 2047 (MPD-2047), estimating that the national capital will require about 4 million additional housing units as its population approaches 32 million by 2047.
The plan seeks to meet this housing demand through redevelopment and densification of existing neighbourhoods, transit-oriented development (TOD), land pooling and planned expansion into new areas, while tying future construction more closely to the availability of roads, public transport, water, sewerage and other infrastructure.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has approved MPD-2047 as an extensive modification of the Master Plan for Delhi 2021. The new plan takes effect from the date of publication of the notification in the Gazette of India.
Four million homes for Delhi’s growing population
The plan estimates Delhi’s housing requirement at nearly 4 million dwelling units over 2011-2047, based on an average household size of 4.5 persons. It identifies high land costs and inadequate affordable housing among the factors that have contributed to the growth of unauthorised colonies, slums and denser urban villages.
MPD-2047 proposes a two-pronged strategy.
In already developed or brownfield areas, it promotes redevelopment, regeneration and densification through TOD, mixed-use projects and infrastructure upgrades. Existing DDA housing, cooperative housing societies, government colonies, group housing projects and other planned residential areas could be redeveloped where infrastructure is available.
The plan also backs in-situ rehabilitation of slum and jhuggi-jhopri clusters and provides a framework for the improvement, regularisation and redevelopment of unauthorised colonies.
For greenfield areas, future expansion will largely be driven through land pooling and other policy-led development models. The plan seeks mixed residential, commercial, industrial, recreational and public uses to create more self-contained neighbourhoods.
TOD, land pooling to reshape large parts of Delhi
Four policy-led development areas form a major part of the new spatial strategy.
Land-pooling areas cover about 200 square kilometres, while Low Density Areas cover roughly 150 square kilometres. TOD zones extend across around 200 square kilometres along Metro corridors and around RRTS, railway and High-Speed Rail stations.
Another 20 square kilometres along the executed stretch of Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) has been identified as a High Density Corridor zone.
TOD is among the central elements of the plan. Higher-density and mixed-use development is envisaged within a 500-metre-wide corridor on either side of existing and planned or approved Metro routes and within a 500-metre radius of major regional and interstate transit stations.
These areas can combine housing, offices, commercial activities and other compatible uses, with higher development intensity aimed at placing more homes and jobs close to public transport.
The High Density Corridor along UER-II will allow a mix of residential development, warehousing, logistics and commercial activities. The same provisions can be extended to future UER stretches once they are constructed.
Metro, RRTS networks to support denser development
Transport infrastructure will underpin this higher-density urban model.
The plan puts Delhi’s Metro network at about 416 km and says it could be expanded by another roughly 279 km. The proposed RRTS network is expected to extend to around 383 km, improving regional links between Delhi and centres including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Panipat, Karnal and Alwar.
MPD-2047 seeks to integrate housing and employment with mass transit while increasing the role of walking, cycling and other forms of active mobility. It also proposes better last-mile connectivity and multimodal integration around transit stations.
New development, meanwhile, is to follow an “infrastructure-first” model. Projects are expected to be guided by the availability of roads, public transport, water supply, sewerage, drainage, electricity and digital connectivity to limit unplanned expansion.
Water, waste and power demand set to surge
Supporting a population of 32 million will require a sharp expansion in urban services.
Delhi Jal Board estimates potable water demand at about 1,600 million gallons per day (MGD) by 2047. It has projected an additional requirement of 401 MGD, with augmentation proposed through short-, medium- and long-term measures, including additional raw water and upstream storage projects.
Sewage treatment capacity is proposed to reach about 1,285 MGD by 2047, compared with installed capacity of 814 MGD cited in the plan.
Municipal solid waste generation, meanwhile, is projected to nearly double from about 13,500 tonnes per day in 2026 to 25,764 tonnes per day by 2047. Peak electricity demand is estimated to reach around 25,500 megawatts by then.
Green-blue network from Ridge to Yamuna
Environmental sustainability is another major pillar of MPD-2047. The document says around 22 per cent of Delhi is currently under green cover and seeks to strengthen forests, biodiversity parks, urban green areas and ecological corridors.
The plan envisages an integrated “green-blue” infrastructure network extending from the Delhi Ridge to the Yamuna and covering the river floodplain, wetlands, lakes, drains and other water bodies.
It proposes ecological restoration, increased tree canopy, improved hydrology and nature-based measures to tackle urban heat and build resilience against flooding and climate change.
Business districts, logistics and Narela education hub
MPD-2047 also gives economic development a larger role in land-use planning.
The plan proposes investment-ready business and commercial districts with modern office space and transport links, along with industrial and logistics clusters connected to highways, railways and urban expansion corridors.
A proposed 138-hectare education hub in Narela is envisaged as a cluster for universities, research institutions, skill-development institutions and start-ups. Specialised economic zones and mixed-use urban centres linked with public transport are also proposed.
Private-sector participation is expected to play a larger role in both new development and redevelopment, including through land pooling and amalgamation of land parcels.
Plan to be reviewed every five years
Unlike a largely static planning framework, MPD-2047 provides for periodic monitoring of its implementation.
A detailed review is to be undertaken every five years, supported by key performance indicators and annual progress monitoring. A dedicated interdisciplinary monitoring unit is proposed within the Delhi Development Authority, along with a GIS database and data-sharing system across agencies.
The plan also envisages greater use of artificial intelligence-based planning, digital-twin applications and data-driven decision-making as Delhi expands, with the DDA positioned as the lead agency for the capital’s next phase of urban development.
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