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GHAZIABAD: The city is currently facing a concerning trend, with non-conforming land usage expanding by 301 hectares according to the latest Master Plan 2031. This alarming growth indicates a rise in unregulated development, potentially leading to the spread of illegal colonies.
Non-conforming land refers to areas without clearly defined uses as per city planning regulations. Unlike designated residential, commercial, industrial, or green zones, which each have specified guidelines, non-conforming land is vulnerable to unauthorized construction and chaotic expansion.
“A clearly defined land use is crucial for a city’s systematic development, subdivided broadly into categories like residential, commercial, mixed, industrial, office, green, and transport. Guidelines related to construction, Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and covered areas vary across these categories. However, non-conforming plots lack defined uses, rendering other norms ineffective. This contributes significantly to the growth of illegal colonies,” stated Asheesh Shivpuri, former town planner at the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA).
As per the Master Plan 2031, the city now features 1,391 hectares designated as non-conforming land, a rise from 1,090 hectares noted in the previous 2021 plan, representing about 4% of the total land planned.
GDA officials have recognized the seriousness of this situation and indicated plans for a survey of non-conforming areas. “We are directed by the state government to clarify land uses in these zones. Given the scale of the task, it will require time. We will soon begin surveying these non-conforming areas, which have significantly increased compared to the previous master plan. This could disrupt the GDA’s vision for organized city growth,” shared a senior GDA official.
The adverse effects of unregulated non-conforming land usage are already evident. Ghaziabad is home to 351 illegal colonies spanning over 3,000 acres. One of the most extensive, the New Karhera colony, covers 250 acres along the floodplains of the Hindon.
The Loni region has become a hotspot, with the Ailyabad area recording 43 illegal colonies in just 43 acres. In Sikhrani, two colonies occupy 38 and 25 acres respectively, while Pavi Sadipur and Mirpur Hindu show illegal settlements over 137 and 97 acres.
While the city’s master plan has increased allocations for various land use types — residential land now totals 12,869 hectares (up from 11,119 hectares), making up 40% of total land use — the rise in non-conforming land poses a significant threat to these efforts. Commercial land has expanded to 744 hectares (2.2% of total land), and industrial zones now span 3,531 hectares, or 11%, compared to 3,074 hectares in the previous plan.
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