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11.0 URBAN DESIGN

A city is an assemblage of buildings and streets, system of communication and utilities, places of work, transportation, leisure and meeting places. The process of arranging these elements both functionally and beautifully is the essence of Urban Design. Delhi had a traditional Urban Design which is reflected in the glory of 17th century Shahajahanabad and New Delhi. In the course of time Delhi is becoming amorphous aggregate of masses and voids. The Walled City of Shahjahanabad has certain urban form characteristics. The Jama Masjid is a dominating feature located on hill top and is different, both in form and scale from the other developments of the city. The boulevard of Chandni Chowk was its commercial centrepiece, with certain visual character terminating at two landmarks viz. Red Fort and Fateh Puri Mosque as its two ends. In the planning of New Delhi in 1916, the Central Vista was conceived as a landscaped stretch to form continuity between the ridge and the river Yamuna. The stretch with the Rashtrapati Bhawan and the India Gate at two ends has tremendous visual quality and is one of the finest examples of Urban Design and monumentality in planning in the world. The Jama Masjid was visually linked with Parliament House, Connaught Place and Jama Masjid in the same axis. The following aspects need to be considered to arrive at the basis for policies affecting the urban fabric: i) ii) iii) Areas of significance in built environment. Visual integration of the city. Policy for tall buildings.

84 iv) Policy on unhindered access movement, parking and pedestrian realm. v) Policy on Hoardings, Street furniture and Signages. vi) Urban Design Scheme. vii) Policy for design of pedestrian realm. viii) City structure plan and Urban Design objective. SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT The areas identified for Urban Design guidelines are as given below: 11.1.1 METROPOLITAN CITY CENTRE 1. Connaught Place and Extensions The various proposals are: i) Detailed Urban Design and Landscape Schemes are to be prepared to integrate MRTS stations, safe pedestrian walkways, parking areas, recreational and cultural areas, etc. ii) The intermediate public transport such as monorail, battery operated / high capacity buses, sky buses to be introduced to increase the mobility within the City Centre. iii) Activities such as viewing gallery, open-air theatres, amusement parks, mini-golf courses/sports activities, food plazas etc. to be introduced to make them more attractive even after working hours. iv) The envelope, FAR, architectural features of the buildings in the Connaught Circus Connaught Place should be retained as existing. v) Continuity of the sidewalks should be maintained, in terms of the width, surface treatment, curb cuts, tree and street furniture locations, for rendering it safe for the pedestrians and disabled. vi) Use of alternative renewable sources of energy should be encouraged for new buildings (especially those of 11.1 commercial or institutional nature), traffic signals, public signages, etc. Encourage the concept of rainwater harvesting and remodeling the storm water drainage to recharge the ground water as per the norms. 2. Walled City And Extensions The various proposals for revitalizing the glory of Walled city are: i) Conservation approach to retain the overall traditional character of the Walled City. ii) Visual integration of major landmarks to revitalise the past glory. Enhance the existing visual link between the three major landmarks namely Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Mosque as per original concept of Walled City of Shahjahanabad. iii) Many areas in Shahjahanabad could be pedestrianised and made completely free of vehicular traffic so as to restore the human scale and convenient living. For example pedestrianisation of Chandni Chowk to impart grandeur to the monuments. iv) Judicious use of existing spaces for development of open recreational uses. v) MRTS station areas are to be dealt as per specific Urban Design schemes and be declared as pedestrian zones. vi) Introduction of activities such as traditional/craft bazaar, heritage walk/rides to attract tourists. vii) Generation of urban culture at neighbourhood level such as festivals/fairs, kite flying etc. viii) Environmental up-gradation required to reduce degenerative effects of traffic congestion. ix) Rejuvenation and conservation through management option, financing incentives, innovative development controls considering built to edge typology.

85 11.1.2 DISTRICT CENTRES A District Centre has been envisaged as a focal point of a district with the population of about 5-6 lakhs. In certain situations it may be possible to prepare an integrated plan for all of the components. In other cases because of factors like the time required between the land development and disposal, tenure conditions or even certain design requirements such a solution may not be possible. The components like facilities, hotel, etc. may be required to be demarcated separately for development. Possibly the other group i.e., retail, office, cultural complex and residential could be more easily integrated in the same building space or area through landscape and circulation. Thus it would be desirable to leave it to the designer to prepare an integrated plan for all or some of the components. The district park adjoining to the district centre proposed in the master plan / zonal plan should be properly integrated with the district centre. The area provided for landscape as part of the district centre should weave through the entire district centre to create a pleasant environment. A district centre should be accessible from the surrounding residential areas through the pedestrian approach or by subways etc. Planned district centres in city (forming a multi nodal city structure) can be best utilized for creating public spaces. 11.1.3 OTHER AREAS Other areas of Urban Design importance are as follows a. Central Vista and the areas in its North and South b. Ancient settlements c. Historical Monuments and Gardens d. Designed environment like Exhibition grounds, Zoo etc. e. Areas along entry routes and other important routes in Delhi f. Republic day parade route g. Road and Rail, MRTS corridors, entries, and terminals. h. City as a whole for aerial view. 11.2 VISUAL INTEGRATION

Delhi has a tremendous diversity of built form, color, scale and texture with a heterogeneous end product from aesthetic point of view. Visual integration can possibly be achieved by identifying features, which integrate the city physically. The important mass movement corridors i.e., Ring road/Outer ring road and major radials are used by city dwellers for internal city commuting. These movement corridors along with newly introduced MRTS corridors have potential to acquire an additional dimension of visual quality and integration. The studies and proposals for ring road and MRTS corridors should be formulated to improve geometrics, landscaping, street furniture, signages, introduction of urban forms at selected points and clearance of unsightly developments. Other important elements for the integration of different parts of the city, planned at different times are (i) flora i.e. tree plantation continuance of `New Delhi character to other parts of the metropolis and linking open space (ii) harmonious treatment for major ecological features i.e. the Ridge and the River Yamuna. 11.3 TALL BUILDINGS Present policy regarding tall buildings is based on height restriction for buildings in different use zones, which is not amenable to deliberate urban form. The height of buildings (above and below the ground) needs to be seen in the light of modern technology with due

86 consideration for natural earthquakes, floods etc. disasters like ii) Reconstruction / redevelopment of existing stations to be undertaken through comprehensive Urban Design schemes. iii) Attractive designs may be evolved for new stations. 3. Air: i) Natural & built environment to be revitalized to give an impression of global city. ii) The overall green cover in this zone should be enhanced and protected. 11.4.2 MRTS CORRIDOR 11.4 URBAN CORRIDORS In prior master plans, city structure was thought in terms of hierarchies with CBD, District Center and Community Centres in descending order of importance. But with due course of development and introduction of MRTS, need is felt to connect these scattered districts with more imageable components. These components with enhanced built up areas and activities form a network by which the experience of various district and commercial centres becomes a part of continued experience. 11.5 SERVICES

DUA-2001 is mostly developed except district centres and there is little scope left. However, restrictions on tall buildings would be necessary in important areas, namely Walled City, the Lutyens Bungalow Zone, Civil Lines and North Delhi University campus. No new tall building should be allowed in any area without an Urban Design scheme. In case of Urban Extension, areas for tall buildings and specific Urban Design projects should be identified.

Delhi with huge intra city trip lengths and increasing number of personalized vehicles, few imperatives cannot be ignored for its sustainable and healthy growth. Such as more dependency on efficient, convenient and safe modes of public transport, linking large number of work centres with residential areas and overall disincentives for private vehicle ownership. 11.4.1 CITY GATEWAYS 1. Road: i) Preferably locate non-residential public buildings with pleasing appearances on entry corridors. ii) Attractive landscape to be developed in accordance with the highway landscape norms. iii) Segregation of goods and passenger vehicles at the entry point through separate lanes and improving the visual environment. 2. Rail: i) Enhancing visual experience for commuters through appropriate landscape along railway tracks.

The organization of services makes the city to work along with the buildings and the open spaces. Services and public amenities should, therefore, be provided in a coordinated way, conforming to the National Building Code, wherever applicable. 11.5.1 PUBLIC AMENITIES The clean, litter free public spaces add to the pleasant built environment. Thus the design, location and maintenance of public amenities such as public toilets, garbage bins, bus stops, etc. determine the quality of public spaces.

87 11.5.2 PARKING Access to the parking should be well defined and conducive to its usage, whether it is at the surface or underground. Basement parking lots need to be structured legibly and access to vertical cores clearly defined. Surface parking should be located in a manner that it does not diminish or hinder the continuity and homogeneity of the spatial and pedestrian movement. 11.6 HOARDINGS, STREET FURNITURE & SIGNAGES Exclusive parking bays are proposed near major intersections as part of road R/W with adequate landscaping. This will provide for parking of mobile repair vans, PCR vans, ambulances, cranes, fire tenders and other public utility vehicles. 11.6.2 ROAD SIGNAGES & SAFETY Safety of road users shall be one of the prime consideration while planning / designing of road network and infrastructure. A major cause for present day chaos on the roads is that the road infrastructure, signages and road markings are not in accordance to the standards laid down by the Motor Vehicle Rules and Highway Code. Appropriate road signages and markings are excellent means of educating road users about road safety rules and road discipline and add to the road beautification. These prevent the deviant behaviour of motorists and at the same time provide useful route related information. It is therefore proposed that the concerned road owning agencies shall be responsible for installing the appropriate road signages and markings on regular basis. Few other measures by the concerned agencies shall be: i. Provision of adequate pedestrian facilities. ii. Removal of encroachments from footpaths. iii. Improvement in accident handling and reporting. 11.7 PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY CITY

Hoardings, sign boards, directional boards, bill boards, neon sign bards, balloons, banners etc. have become symbols of present day urban scape and important instruments of outdoor publicity and public information These, if located properly and aesthetically, to fit into the total scheme of Urban Design, may enhance the visual quality of the city. Otherwise, these may cause hazards, obstruction and visual pollution etc. 11.6.1 STREET FURNITURE & SIGNAGES Public art is an important part of the urban spatial experience, which can be incorporated, in the form of functional objects such as street furniture and paving designs. Street furniture and signages should be designed sensitively considering the land use, intensity of activity and other identified design districts. Their design must also reflect respect to pedestrians and physically challenged people. Access provisions for the physically challenged should be made from the street to overcome curb heights, rain water gratings etc. Parking spaces close to the entrance should be reserved for physically challenged.

Major work centres, where large number of pedestrian networks emerge and culminate should have enhanced facilities for the pedestrians. This will lead to more sensitive and intricate design of street furniture making major imageable components part of daily urban experience. Pedestrian networks affect spaces in a very distinctive way. Establishment of pedestrian networks in any area reveals its vitality. They

88 provide richness in terms of spatial experience and community interaction etc. 11.8 URBAN DESIGN SCHEME

In case of development / redevelopment of an area of around 4 ha. an Urban Design scheme shall be prepared for approval by the competent authority.