Experts who attended the recently held Institute of Town Planners India (ITPI) congress called for a series of legislations and policies for the development of towns.
For example, the Chief town planner for Gujarat PL Sharma stressed on the need for special legislations in the wake of regional corridors like the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, rapid transit corridors and rapid freight corridors.
Separate policies for micro planning TP schemes, land acquisition, land development and disposal are need of the hour for regional industrial corridors.
Professor Utpal Sharma of Cept University pressed for a separate Act that will govern development along regional corridors. If we are expecting a large percentage of the state population living along side corridors, then a single governing legislation is a must, Sharma said.
Experts also called for a regional and corridor development act along major freight corridors for equitable development of small towns and villages which would require spatial and infrastructure planning to ensure equitable distribution of resources such as Narmada waters.
Today, the state urban development department, the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and the panchayat ministry work independently in their own domain. A key collaboration would be required while regional development plans are being mooted for special investment regions (SIR).
It may be recalled that Gujarat government aims to develop 13 SIRs.
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