Assam approves first town planning scheme with focus on Tinsukia

The town planning scheme developed by the Tinsukia Development Authority will cover 32.98 hectares.

Guwahati: Assam's housing and urban affairs minister Ashok Singhal on Tuesday steered crucial urban planning initiatives during a meeting of the advisory committee of the directorate of town and country planning.

A notable highlight of the meeting was the approval of the inaugural town planning scheme developed by the Tinsukia Development Authority, covering 32.98 hectares. 

The scheme's presentation by the deputy director of town and country planning, Dibrugarh, and the town planning officer of Tinsukia Development Authority showcased detailed planning and garnered "satisfaction" from the advisory council.

Additionally, masterplans for 8 other cities were also greenlit. These include Rangapara, Gohpur, Sootea, Jamugurihat, Bokakhat, Lakhipur, Badarpur, and a revised master plan for Dibrugarh. 

During the meeting, Singhal emphasized the need for more urban planning schemes to be implemented across cities. The discussions also involved stakeholders, including MLAs and department officials. 

The state government's recent amendment to the Assam Town and Country Planning Act in 2022, incorporating modern urban planning concepts, was also acknowledged during the meeting.

In a parallel development, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) issued development rights certificates to eight landowners, covering one million square feet of land. 

This issuance aligns with the transferable development rights (TDR) policy of the Government of Assam, which encourages voluntary land contributions for urban infrastructure development. According to the TDR, a person owning land in an eco-sensitive zone where he cannot erect big buildings can get 'extra construction rights' at his plots outside the eco-sensitive zone if he surrenders the plot in the eco-sensitive zone.

Implementation of the TDR policy would play a pivotal role in the construction and development of essential urban infrastructure, opined Singhal.

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