Utilising the potential of metro corridors in Ghaziabad city, UP state officials have instructed the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) to designate 500 metres of transit-oriented development (TOD) zones along the metro alignment, as per a Hindustan Times report.
The TOD zones will be defined and included in the draft Master Plan 2031 for the city once the state’s notification is received by the authority.
The draft Master Plan 2031, a 10-year development roadmap for Ghaziabad, is expected to receive final approval in the coming months, after which it will replace the existing Master Plan 2021.
TOD is a widely embraced approach that promotes development along public transit corridors, leading to more efficient land utilisation.
It is considered a sustainable alternative to urban sprawl, maximising the use of existing infrastructure and optimising transit networks.
In Mumbai and Bengaluru, development and metro authorities are also pursuing TOD policies along its existing and upcoming metro corridors.
Ghaziabad currently has two metro corridors, a 2.1km Blue Line from Anand Vihar to Vaishali and a 9.34 km Red Line from Dilshad Garden to New Bus Adda.
Last September, under the state government’s new TOD policy, TOD zones were designated along the eight stations of the regional rapid transit system (RRTS) project and included in the draft Master Plan 2031.
The 82km-long RRTS project has eight stations in Ghaziabad district — Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Duhai Depot, Muradnagar, Modinagar (south) and Modinagar (north).
The authority has designated a total of 5,601 hectares of TOD zones around mass transit system lines
“Once the TOD zones get defined and made part of draft Master Plan 2031 for the metro corridors, the plan will get a final shape and implemented. This is expected to happen in the next 2-3 months,” Atul Vats, vice-chairperson of GDA, stated.