Delhi Master Plan 2047 proposes freehold status for plots along transit corridors

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will serve as the nodal agency for approving TOD projects and sanctioning building plans. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta (File Photo)The Delhi Master Plan 2047 will allow individual plots identified within Transit Oriented Development (TOD) corridors to be converted into freehold, a move aimed at encouraging private-sector participation and facilitating planned urban development, a report by the Press Trust of India suggests.Under the proposed plan, the entire TOD zone will also be declared a development area to expedite approvals. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will serve as the nodal agency for approving TOD projects and sanctioning building plans.The provision is significant for the property owners in Delhi, as freehold status provides an owner with absolute rights over both the land and the structure built on it. This differs from the leasehold system, under which the land remains owned by an authority such as the DDA while the individual holds rights to use and develop it under the terms of the lease.The master plan states that individual plots forming part of a consolidated TOD plot and currently held on a leasehold basis will be deemed freehold, subject to clearance of all outstanding dues. Institutional plots held on leasehold have been kept outside this provision. MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENT MODELSThe plan also proposes multiple models for development, giving landowners greater flexibility to participate in planned projects while seeking to ensure that infrastructure is developed promptly.The DDA said roads measuring 30 metres or more in width will be notified and developed directly by the authority under MPD-2047. The new urban areas are proposed to be developed as self-contained neighbourhoods, with residential growth planned alongside essential amenities such as schools, healthcare facilities, parks, green spaces and commercial centres.“Under MPD-2047, roads with a width of 30 metres and above will be notified and developed directly by DDA. The new urban areas will be developed as self-contained neighbourhoods with schools, healthcare facilities, parks and green spaces, commercial centres and other public amenities, ensuring that housing growth is matched with quality-of-life infrastructure,” the DDA said in a statement on Saturday.LAND POOLING TO DRIVE URBAN EXPANSIONThe master plan also builds on Delhi's Land Pooling Policy, which was first notified along with its regulations in 2018 for the planned and inclusive development of privately owned land in the city's Urban Extension areas.Under the policy, landowners participate voluntarily while the DDA acts as a facilitator for planned development and infrastructure creation.The policy has attracted significant participation. According to the DDA, more than 7,615 applications had been received and over 7,885 hectares of land had been registered and pooled as of July 2026.The provisions in MPD-2047 seek to bring together freehold conversion in TOD corridors, faster project approvals, flexible development models and land pooling as part of Delhi's broader strategy for planned urban expansion.The proposed changes are aimed at facilitating private participation while ensuring that expansion of housing and built-up areas is accompanied by adequate transport, infrastructure and public amenities.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 22, 2026 22:18 IST