Ghaziabad to develop TOD zones near mass transit systems

In accordance with the recently announced TOD policy of the Uttar Pradesh government, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has been instructed to develop plans for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones alongside various mass transit systems, such as the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). The concept of TOD is fast growing and aims at creating vibrant, sustainable, and liveable communities that are generally centred on train systems. The TOD programme, according to GDA officials, strives for planned development alongside high-speed mass transit networks in Ghaziabad. These regions include alignments next to the Metro and the RRTS, in addition to motorways and expressways. “The authority has been asked to make special plans for TOD zones, or mixed land use zones for the development of residential, commercial, and other types of projects,” according to Rajiv Ratan Sah, town planner for the GDA. Land within a 1.5 km radius of stations and a 500 m radius of the mass transit line will be developed as TOD zones. Twenty-two of the 25 stations in the 82 km RRTS route are in Uttar Pradesh and are managed by the Ghaziabad and Meerut districts. Similarly, Ghaziabad is served by two stations on the Delhi Metro’s Blue Line and eight stations on its Red Line. The new policy of the Uttar Pradesh government has specified three categories of TOD zones. “In TOD projects of up to one hectare, there will be a provision of 3 to 4-floor area ratio (FAR) in developed areas along with coverage (area on which construction is allowed) of 45%. In undeveloped areas, the FAR will be 3.5 to 5 with a coverage of up to 40%. In projects above 1 hectare, the FAR will remain the same for developed and undeveloped areas while the coverage will be 35% and 30%, respectively,” Sah said. See also: Delhi metro submits revised DPR for second corridorKMRC to introduce diagnostic facilities at metro stations