Abstract:
URDPFI Guidelines Chapter-Framework for planning in India recommends that India has evolved its own system suiting specific needs, traditions & legal arrangements. Thus the planning system of India considers Master Plan as an apex document to guide the development legally. The Third Five Year Plan defined the term ‘Master Plan’ as a statutory instrument for controlling, directing and promoting sound and rational development and redevelopment of an urban area with a view to achieving maximum economic, social and aesthetic benefits. The issue arises with the fact that the master plans are quantitative in nature since its primary aim is resource distribution. DCR is the next in hierarchy which states mandatory rules to be followed for any development. The DCR however, only suggests the development rules & regulation according to the health & environmental codes for E.g. - Maximum Coverage, maximum permissible built-up area (FAR), maximum building height permissible, minimum all round setbacks, minimum parking to be provided, minimum light & ventilation to habitable rooms Thus there is a need for new regulatory the mechanism that guides the development through qualitative codes thus creating an environment which promotes an overall benefit to society & creates a distinct image of the city. These qualitative tools or design codes can be the next steps to the master plan which explicitly focuses on how the development marked in the master plans should be like. From the street quality & widths to the façade treatment of buildings the code focuses on each element of the built environment. Form-based codes are still a new concept in India, but witnessing the unprecedented growth in urban India, design codes can act as regulatory the framework which can result in a planned development with qualitative built environment.
