Delhi Master Plan 2047 floats congestion pricing, leaves 351 roads unclear

The Master Plan for Delhi 2047, notified on August 20, has proposed congestion pricing zones where private vehicles may be charged to enter areas with high traffic volumes. The Times of India reports the plan proposes three possible zones: catchments around transit-oriented development nodes, the Walled City Heritage Zone, and the Metropolitan City Centre (including Connaught Place and Karol Bagh). Hindustan Times notes Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said there is no immediate plan to introduce the scheme. The document suggests radio frequency identification tags may be used for enforcement and that parking charges could vary by location and time of day.

Meanwhile, the Times of India reports the plan remains silent on 351 roads awaiting notification as mixed-use and commercial streets, leaving traders worried. A proposal was forwarded by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to the Delhi government in 2007, but clearance and notification remain pending. Under MPD 2047, only mixed-use and commercial streets already notified by the Delhi government will continue with permitted activities, no new roads will be notified. The plan permits mixed-use development along roads with a right of way of 30 metres or more.

Under MPD 2021, 2,538 roads were notified for mixed-use activities. In 2018, amid a sealing drive, the Delhi government submitted a draft notification to the lieutenant governor, but the final notification is still pending due to court and statutory oversight. D Thara of the Union housing ministry said a holistic approach would be adopted, with the minister giving two months to address the issue. Traders' associations have demanded clarity on the status of these roads.