PRAYAGRAJ: In a significant policy change, property owners along 42 major roads in Prayagraj can now utilize their buildings for commercial activities. This includes well-known streets such as Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Sardar Patel Marg, Katju Marg, and Tashkent Marg, as outlined in the city’s Master Plan 2031.
Previously, commercial activities along these roads were restricted. Under the former Master Plan 2021, only 29 roads were designated as market streets. The updated plan expands this list, adding several key roads, including Tashkent Marg and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. Officials anticipate that this decision will foster commercial development and create new job opportunities.
According to the new regulations, buildings with up to two floors can now operate commercially on the specified market streets. This provision also applies to essential areas in Naini, Jhunsi, Phaphamau, and Rajrooppur. The 2021 plan included only a few roads from these regions, while the 2031 update significantly broadens the coverage. The market street zone extends up to 15 meters from the road edge. In non-constructed areas, roads measuring 24 meters or wider are also included, and for roads exceeding 30 meters, the construction of service lanes is mandated during any widening efforts. Special Market Street Building By-Laws will apply to these properties, while residential and other approved land uses behind commercial stretches will continue to adhere to their respective building regulations.
Officials from the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) have stated that new compounding of buildings is necessary before they can be used for commercial purposes. A thorough survey of all 42 designated roads will be conducted soon, and property owners found using their buildings commercially without prior compounding approval will face strict penalties. This change is expected to transform the city’s landscape, gradually converting residential stretches along major roads into vibrant commercial hubs.
