The Draft Regional Plan-2041 (DRP-2041) aims to make the National Capital Region (NCR) a smart region by improving connectivity between towns with bullet trains, Heli taxi services, and smart roads and transforming it into a future-ready and economically prosperous area with citizen-centric harmonious infrastructure. The NCR Planning Board (NCRPB) discussed the DRP-2041 on Tuesday, but the approval was postponed. It will be discussed at the board's next meeting, which will be held soon. To relieve congestion in the region, the draught plan emphasises making multi level parking complexes a mandatory requirement for city centres with high-rise commercial complexes. It also advocates for the parking of commercial vehicles on the outskirts of town to help decongest the city, as well as the strict enforcement of parking policies. According to the regional plan, the population of the National Capital Region (NCR) is expected to increase to around 7 crore by 2031 and around 11 crore by 2041, necessitating the need to make the region future-ready for long-term development. The NCRPB is responsible for the entire city of Delhi, eight Uttar Pradesh districts, 14 Haryana districts, and two Rajasthan districts. It covers a total area of about 55,083 sq km. According to the draft report, by 2031, 57% of the region's total area will be urbanised, and by 2041, 67%. It states that travel times across the NCR should be kept to a minimum of 30 minutes by superfast trains and Heli taxi services, 60 minutes by other trains, and two to three hours by car. In addition to the Eastern and Western Peripheral expressways, the plan called for the construction of two more regional expressways. It was also suggested that trauma centres be built at 50 km intervals or within a one-hour travel time golden hour on each national highway, state highway, and expressway, with all necessary facilities, including a blood bank. According to the plan, all-important high-rise buildings should investigate the possibility of having helipads after receiving permission from the appropriate agencies. The draught plan emphasises the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the NCR. It was also emphasised that the spatial distribution of all new urban settlements should be determined by having a 15-minute city like Paris. All essential services and daily necessities are within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or non-motorized transportation radius. The region is to be developed into a smart tourist hub, according to the DRP-2041 Creating heritage circuits and world-class museums along the lines of Singapore's Asian Civilization Museum. Image Source