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Computerisation of development plans and associate information using GIS


As per the Bombay Town Planning Act, 1954 (replaced in Jan 11,1967, as Maharashtra Regional & Town Planning Act, 1966) for the preparation of the sound based Development Plan survey should be carried out under the following heads:
  • Physical condition: This includes information about physiography, climate, and relative location of the town in relation to other big towns and to the village surrounding it. Probable sources of water supply, housing condition, accessibility, and suitability of the site for new development. The estimate the probable location of growth and indicate the desirable direction of city&rsquos growth.
  • Population: The growth and occupation of population are studied based on last census. In a growing town an attempt has also been made to indicate the predominant character of the town by analysing the occupation group. In case of decling towns causes have been identified and infrastructure development has been proposed to stop migration. Projection of population for next ten years in which period Development Plan will not be revised has also been estimated to accommodate the ultimate population without any deterioration in the existing condition of population density. Population density by ward has been calculated under heading of number of inhabited rooms in each floor and number of children and adults.
  • Housing: In case of housing data structural condition, sanitation-adequacy of the open spaces around the house, standard of ventilation, nature of sanitary conveniences provided etc. have been surveyed with the help of prepared questionnaire. The predominant use of the building is also surveyed. This survey has helped to find out insanitary and unhealthy areas, slums, areas becoming absolate, areas of recent growth, existing use zones in the city etc. Detailed survey has been done in the city centre region.
  • Communications: In the communication data the width of the existing road, traffic conditions in detail have been collected. The layout of proposed diversions have been drawn and the cost of widening the existing has been calculated.
  • Public Buildings, Education & Health services The location of the existing schools, hospitals and nursing homes have been marked. The new infrastructure have been proposed and identified in the plan.
  • Open spaces: The existing open space i.e. parks and gardens have been identified and their adequacy has been analysed and new location has been marked. After this extensive survey and analysis the Proposed development Plan was prepared. The zoning method has been used and mixed landuse has been discouraged in the Plan. There is proposal for the clearance of slums, improvement of existing roads, schools, hospitals, parks and playgrounds, theatres and provisions of new ones. The final Development Plan includes written report; three main maps i.e. Index map (not smaller than 1" to 1mile. Including surrounding areas including roads), Town map (not smaller than 800&rsquo: 1" and preferably 200&rsquo:1" in case of small towns showing all proposals) and Detail map (50&rsquo:1", to know the location of each property and how it is affected by the future development), and required graphs and charts. The Section 38 of the same Act provides a statutory tool for a periodical revision of the sanctioned Development Plan. The Local Authority in the initial stage has collected huge amount of both spatial and attributes data. But due to the manual handling but most of them are not easily accessible to the public and the organisation. If handled with scientific approach with the use of computer and specially GIS this will help to speed up the organisation procedure and in some cases will help to generate some finance for the authority.
Development Control of Local Authority - Process and Procedure
In the context of urban planning, after the preparation of the Development Plan in most cases the function of the local authorities are based on grants or refusal of planning permission for development. The local authority is empowered to grant or refuse any proposal of planning application in its area. . Generally applications are accompanied by a development proposal report, which include a written statement and a plan to describe present condition of the land to which the application relates; and describes the proposed development. So, a development proposal report generally include the following major aspects:
  • Key Location plan
  • Site Plan Building plan and layout plan
  • Ownership title
  • Clearance certificate of all tax arrears
  • Property register card
The maps shall have to be standard drawing size and follow the prescribed colour notation scheme. The report will then have to be verified by local authority concerned. The report together with other considerations will be used as a basis for aiming decision. After satisfying with the submitted information, Construction Certificate is issued for construction up to plinth level (valid for 4 years). In these cases only to ascertain the status of a plot in the Development Plan, the Town Planning Department takes 45-60 days. As the applicant only supply a hand drawn parcel lay out with survey number, obtained from the land Records Office. The scale of the parcel map is different from the Development Plan so the manual checking is obviously timed taken.

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