Based on planning techniques, planning theories/principles, norms and standards - multiple alternatives of urban planning concepts must be prepared. This level of plan formulation also requires vision development. At all scales of
planning, land and transport integration is suggested at this stage of planning, wherein a comprehensive mobility plan is to be formulated. All transportation surveys and studies should be undertaken independently by the transport department or jointly under JnNURM or other schemes before this stage.
2.1.4.1 Visioning Exercise
The focus of the plan preparation exercise should be on ensuring adequate stakeholder participation to arrive at a shared vision for the settlements, with regard to economic development and quality of life. The vision thus arrived should form the guiding principle for the Regional or Development plan. These would include inter alia:
■ Economic Development Objectives (Increase in GDP, Income, Employment and such other)
■ Transportation Objectives
■ Utility Services (levels and coverage) Objectives
■ Social Infrastructure Objectives
■ Safety and security of the citizens
■ Growth Pattern/Design Objectives
■ Investment Program/ Sustainability Objectives, others, if any.
Planning and Development Authority should clearly mention in a plan as to how the plans are likely to benefit the dwellers in economic terms and in this context, the calculation of economic benefits is given in Chapter 7.
Figure- 2.3: Plan Formulation Process
2.1.4.2 Preparation of Alternative Concept Plans
The outcomes of the first three stages would yield a digital updated base map and land information system, a complete report on status of the region/city establishing existing situation with regards all elements of development, identification of areas of concern, a shared vision and development goals and objectives. This should form the input for formulation of the Plan. The planning
horizon for the planning period should be identified based on the recommended planning system and the components should include:
■ Estimation of land requirement for different uses (refer Chapter 5 & 9 for detailing).
- Land suitability analysis: Environmental sensitive areas, social, economic and others (refer Chapter 7 for further context).
■ Delineation of developable area based on environmental land suitability and growth trend.
■ Preparation of a general activity structure.
■ Preparation of a conceptual land use plan as per the required scale (refer Table 7.7).
As projections are estimations of an envisioned pattern, deviation from the projection are always possible and hence projected figures should not be always treated as absolute. Here it is required by planners to build alternative scenarios and situations which may highlight the extremities as pessimistic or optimistic.
The following key remarks to be focused while formulating the plan:
a. Land is limited and a very important natural resource and must be utilized vigilantly. Care should be taken regarding inter-relation of various activities and land uses with each other. Land use to be planned most solicitously. New concepts like compact cities, mixed land use etc. can also be explored, if not for the entire jurisdiction, then for the upcoming zones at least.
b. Deteriorating traffic conditions due to faster increasing travel demand in cities have impact not only on environment but also on economy by wastage of man-hours. Thus, to reduce the trip generation, land use and transport integration should be made at the initial stage by incorporating TOD and mixed land use concepts.
c. As a part of the plan implementation, a study regarding quality and quantity manpower should be done and suggestions be made concerning human resources requirement for effective implementation of all the aspects of the plan.
d. Vertical mobility of the vulnerable sections of the population must be integral to the planning goals. Inclusion of the women and population involved or dependent on the informal sector must be consulted while preparing plans.
e. To prepare and implement all the aspects of the plan for the whole plan period requires steady flow of finance, otherwise the optimum outcome of the plans cannot be realized. Thus, it is imperative to plan and map out all the financial sources in the beginning of planning process so that plan proposals and milestones targeted can get maximum results. It should include financial aspects not only for plan implementation but also for plan preparation. At this stage, revenue generation capacity of plan itself should
also be defined with measurable milestone against which plan could be monitored and reviewed from time to time.
Other parameters, based on which plan is prepared and projected for plan period should be provided with distinct measurable milestone against which plan must be intermittently reviewed at interval of 5 years and finally evaluated at the completion stage. This will work as input for next planning process from the previous plan period.
g. Remote sensing and GIS technologies should be used to speed up the plan formulation process. Large amount of spatial and attribute data can be processed through these platforms and alternate concepts of planning settlements can be prepared in shorter time span. The data available with the NRSC, SRSAC, Bhuvan and NUIS can be utilised for the plan preparation (refer Chapter 7 for methodology).
h. Other elements like planning legislation, development promotion rules and urban design features should also be incorporated to prepare alternatives, which will be further detailed as the proposed plan.
i. Green areas and related non-economic activities to be preferably proposed on Government land to avoid loss of economic benefit of the private landowners. In case such activities are proposed on privately owned land, the local authority preparing the plan should provide a fair compensation as per law to the land owner.
2.1.4.3 Selection among Alternatives
The next level of plan formulation requires evaluation of all the alternatives to reach one selected alternative that would be elaborated to prepare plan for the settlement. At this stage, focused group discussions or selected representative's discussion can be arranged as appropriate. Usually evaluation of alternatives result into another newly developed concept, which derives the best from all the options.
