India, April 22 -- Transit-oriented development (TOD) rests on three fundamentals: Density, diversity, and design. A good TOD neighbourhood is dense enough to support frequent transit, diverse enough to serve all people and activities, and designed in a manner that makes walking to the metro pleasant rather than punishing.

Delhi's new Regulations for Transit Oriented Development and Charges, 2026, announced earlier this month, take an important leap forward on density. On diversity and design, however, the policy has serious gaps.

The most important reform is the shift in the policy's approach, from being node-based to corridor-based. The earlier policy required a minimum of eight hectares of developable land for a TOD node - a threshol...