The recent building collapse in Delhi’s Satya Niketan PG has once again raised the uncomfortable question Delhi has been grappling with: what happens when old structures become unsafe?Continuing to live in an ageing building can be a matter of life and death, but tearing them down and rebuilding them can be an expensive proposition, one not everyone can afford.That is about to change under Delhi’s proposed new Master Plan, which is betting on higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to make redevelopment a more viable proposition for property owners.The higher FAR could give owners of aging buildings additional development potential, providing them with a financial reason to tear down old structures and rebuild them while helping offset the cost of demolition.D Thara, secretary, department of capital development, ministry of housing and urban affairs, said the provision assumes significance as Delhi grapples with old buildings, particularly after the recent collapse of a five-storey paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan that killed seven people.
More construction potential for old buildings
Thara said the proposed plan has given considerable room for regeneration and redevelopment, including additional FAR for old properties.“In the master plan, we have proposed regeneration and redevelopment. We have also given FAR. If the building is old, we need money to demolish it. For that, you need extra FAR. That has been given in the master plan this time,” Thara said on the sidelines of the National Conference on Real Estate for Viksit Bharat: Enabling Growth, Investment & Ease of Doing Business, organised by ASSOCHAM.Explaining the extent of the additional development potential, she said most old buildings currently have a FAR of 1.5.“Most of these old buildings are 1.5 FAR. If we demolish it, they will get 50 per cent more,” she said.Thara said the additional FAR could help deal with the financial burden involved in demolishing and reconstructing ageing properties.“I cannot give a response to the city level issues here. I am talking from the government of India. But, for regeneration and redevelopment, we have given a lot of scope this time,” she said.The proposed approach comes as Delhi faces the twin challenges of addressing ageing structures and providing more housing and urban infrastructure.
Metro corridors to drive high-density development
The Master Plan also envisages a substantial expansion in housing, with up to 40 lakh new homes potentially coming up in Delhi over the next 20 years, according to Thara.Around 20,000 hectares along Metro corridors have been identified for high-density development. The idea is to encourage housing and commercial activity around areas that are connected by public transport.“We want densities on the metro corridor. We want densities where people don’t need to use cars. So, it’s high time we bring the people to the metro corridors,” she said.Thara referred to a survey which, according to her, showed that around 70 per cent of jobs are located around Metro corridors. She also pointed to Delhi’s substantial road network and high road density, stressing the need to make better use of existing infrastructure.
‘Sponge cities’ approach to rainfall
The proposed urban development framework also touches on how Delhi manages rainwater and waterlogging.Thara called for cities to change the way they handle rainfall, particularly as extreme weather events become more frequent. She advocated the concept of “sponge cities”, where urban areas absorb and retain rainwater rather than allowing large volumes of it to quickly enter drainage systems.“The new concept is sponge cities. Absorb the water, rather than letting it go,” she said.She also questioned construction practices that prevent rainwater from reaching the ground, urging real estate developers and individual property owners to examine how they build and pave their properties.“When we construct our houses independently also, do we look at what do we do? We lay concrete to stop water (from absorbing in the soil). The water that used to go there, where will it go?” she said.
Land pooling needs landowners’ confidence
Thara also spoke about land pooling, saying the first scheme had been approved but that the participation of landowners would be important for the process to advance.“Land pooling will only move forward when people have faith. This is the first step. The second step is to come together as an association,” she said.She said the DDA would have to play a greater role in land aggregation. A platform is also being created to facilitate interaction between individual landowners and the authority.The proposals come against the backdrop of concerns over ageing buildings in Delhi, alongside the need to accommodate future housing and urban development. The Satya Niketan collapse has brought renewed focus on old structures, while the proposed higher FAR is intended to provide greater development potential for regeneration and redevelopment.
