India, June 3 -- The Union government has asked states to notify 15-metre no-development buffers along future ring roads and bypasses and regulate construction in wider two-km influence zones around them as part of its urban decongestion policy to curb ribbon development that creates congestion on highways.

Ribbon development refers to the unplanned growth of buildings, shops, warehouses, fuel stations, and housing colonies along major roads and highways outside planned municipal limits.

The Union road transport and highways ministry's framework seeks greater state participation in funding urban decongestion projects through multiple cost-sharing models, including a 50:50 split in land acquisition costs, land pooling, reimbursement of s...