JAIPUR: The recent decision by the Urban Development and Housing (UDH) department to permit various commercial activities in residential zones has raised alarms among planners and officials. They caution that this change could alter the character of residential neighborhoods, exacerbate congestion, and overload civic infrastructure.
Following a notification issued on May 14, most commercial constructions are now allowed in residential areas, with only a few land uses remaining restricted. Education and health facilities, community centers, industries, and plantations are banned in these zones; however, even these limitations have been relaxed in areas under the Chief Minister’s Jan Awas Yojana and affordable housing initiatives.
Urban planning experts warn that this adjustment could lead to high-footfall developments emerging in colonies initially intended for low-density living. Residents may face the establishment of hotels, shopping complexes, and other commercial entities within their neighborhoods.
“This creates a broad gateway for mixed-use and high-traffic development in lanes and colonies that lack adequate road width, parking, and civic infrastructure to support it,” stated a senior UDH official.
Planners highlight that the immediate impact is likely to affect traffic and daily life. The influx of commercial establishments could draw visitors, delivery vehicles, and service traffic, intensifying pressure on internal roads and parking facilities. Concerns have also been raised regarding increased noise pollution, air quality issues, emergency access, and the long-term strain on water supply, sewerage, and waste management systems.
The notification has sparked legal challenges as well. A senior UDH official noted that this move contradicts a Rajasthan High Court ruling from January 12, 2017, which followed a public interest litigation filed in 2004. Among the court’s 31 directives was a provision that Master Plans and land-use zoning must not be altered unless demonstrably serving a greater public purpose.
“These blanket permissions undermine the intent of the land-use matrix outlined in Master Plans, effectively permitting construction of nearly any structure across urban areas without the conventional zoning discipline,” commented another UDH official.
Officials critical of the policy view it as excessive deregulation. They argue that while planning powers have expanded within urban local bodies, many municipalities lack the technical expertise to evaluate proposals and enforce necessary safeguards. “The central government’s deregulation policy aims to simplify procedures for residents, not to dilute planning controls that protect neighborhoods,” an official remarked.
