Nagpur: The state government has reduced recreational open spaces, which are often called lungs of the city, despite demand for more open spaces, in the recently approved unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR). Also, the open spaces will not be in the possession of planning authorities, like Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for city and Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) for metropolitan region, for development of playground, indoor stadiums or any recreational projects.
As per unified DCPR, recreational open space will be 10% of total area of layout. As per old Development Control Regulations (DCR), it was 15%.
Considering the lack of big playgrounds, indoor stadiums, swimming pools, cycling zones, gardens etc in all parts of the city, activists had demanded increase in recreational open space to 20%.
Activist TH Naidu told TOI, “Government has clearly favoured developers instead of open spaces for the next generation. With increase in congestion and density in city and outskirts, there was need for more open spaces, specially in metropolitan region, where many areas are yet to be developed.”
Architect Virendra Khare also believes the decision was wrong. “It should have been retained at 15%,” he said.
Also, old DCR allowed construction on 15% of total open space, with 10% on ground floor and 5% on first floor, for sports purposes only. In unified DCPR, the government has allowed club house, crèche, kindergarten, utilities such as water tank (underground or elevated), electric substation, generator set, pump houses, garbage treatment, public health out post/centre and religious structures.
Naidu said other facilities will be given top priority instead of sports, yoga, fitness, indoor sports etc. “Also, it will led to encroachment by parking, storing materials etc on remaining 85% open area,” he said.
Naidu added, “There is provision for showing 50% of recreational open space on terrace of a podium in congested as well as non-congested area. This also benefits developers and not the residents.”
In unified DCPR, NMC and NMRDA cannot keep possession of the recreational open spaces for facilitating services to the people. All these will be under societies. In old DCR, planning authorities were to compulsorily take over open spaces and develop for public purposes.
Naidu said open spaces will be either abandoned or encroached under the new norm, as difference of opinion is a common thing among people in any housing society. “Also, societies do not have sufficient funds for development and maintenance.”
The government has continued with old norm of 5% amenity space in layouts of 4,000 to 10,000 sq m, and 10% for those above 10,000 sq m.
As per provisions in old DCR, NIT and NMC used to also keep possession of amenity spaces with it. In unified DCR, the planning authorities can take over amenity spaces only for development of playground, garden, school, hospital and fire station. If taken over for these purposes, the land owner or developer will be given extra floor space index (FSI) or transferable development right (TDR).
Naidu said here too the government favoured developers instead of systematic development.
Khare also criticised a provision regarding amenity space, “Developers have to seek NOC from concerned authorities taking care of playground, garden, school, hospital and fire station services for development. This will force developers to kowtow to officials.”
-------------------------
OTHER SETBACKS TO OPEN SPACES
* No provision for recreational open space in layouts to be regularized under Gunthewari Act. Many such regularized layouts even now lack playgrounds, gardens and other recreational projects. Huge vacant land on city’s outskirts pending for regularization may also become concrete jungle in next few years
* Government not clearly mandated planning authorities to approve open space of 10% at one location in each layout, leaving chances of interpretation and misuse. In case of land over 0.8 hectare, government allowed recreational open space at different locations in same layout
* Planning authorities can taken possession of recreational open space in case of violations by owner/societies. But planning authorities will have to compulsorily hand it back to owner/societies if demanded