India, Aug. 17 -- The Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) proposed Master Plan Delhi-2047 (MPD-2047) seeks to strike a delicate balance between improving public access to the Yamuna and safeguarding one of the Capital's most ecologically sensitive landscapes, raising a key policy question. The proposal comes months after the installation of over 300 O-Zone sign boards along the Yamuna triggered concern among residents, highlighting the sensitivity surrounding the protected river corridor. The Yamuna's O-Zone, spread across nearly 9,934 hectares, has traditionally been treated as an ecologically sensitive floodplain where permanent residential, commercial and urban construction is either prohibited or heavily restricted. Earlier this year, the DDA erected O-Zone boards along the 22-km stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla following court directions, prompting fears among residents that the markings could pave the way for eviction or demolition drives. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had assured residents that existing houses would not be demolished and clarified that the court's directions applied only to new constructions, helping ease concerns over large-scale displacement. Against this backdrop, MPD-2047 now proposes a significant policy shift by dividing the existing O-Zone into two planning categories. Also Read - Atal Canteens hit century Advertisement The O-1 zone, comprising the riverbed and the defined one-in-25-year floodplain, will continue to remain a strictly protected area where no construction or development will be permitted. The O-2 zone, covering the outer floodplain beyond the core river channel, will allow regulated recreational activities such as parks, green spaces, walking trails and a proposed 52-km cycling track, while prohibiting permanent urban development. Officials associated with the plan said the objective is not to dilute environmental protection but to make the river more accessible through low-impact public spaces. "The proposal is intended to reconnect people with the Yamuna. The ecologically critical areas will continue to receive the highest level of protection," an official said. Also Read - When marriage turns murderous Environmental experts, however, urged caution. They noted that the National Green Tribunal is yet to complete the scientific demarcation of the Yamuna's floodplain and argued that land-use decisions should follow, not precede, that exercise. "A floodplain performs vital ecological functions, including groundwater recharge and flood moderation. Any increase in public activity must be based on scientific evidence and should not undermine the river's natural resilience. Conservation has to remain the primary objective. We can only hope for a better final decision on this," they said. The proposal also departs from the draft MPD-2041, which treated the entire floodplain as part of Delhi's green-blue infrastructure and permitted only passive recreation through greenways, cycling and walking trails without altering the single O-Zone classification. As the Master Plan awaits the Centre's approval, the debate has moved beyond development versus conservation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.