SDC Foundation writes to MDDA and asks what happened to public opinion regarding the Dehradun Draft Master Plan 2041
Dehradun
Dehradun-based Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation has once again raised several questions regarding the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority’s Dehradun Draft Master Plan 2041.
In a seven page letter written to Bansidhar Tiwari, Vice Chairman of MDDA, SDC Foundation has asked what happened to the suggestions of about 800 people who had given their feedback and inputs on the draft master plan.
In the letter written by SDC Founder Anoop Nautiyal, 10 other points related to Dehradun have been raised about the steps that MDDA and Uttarakhand government are taking on these challenges since they are most crucial for the city.
It is worth noting that the Draft Master Plan was prepared in April 2023. MDDA had released it on its website and sought suggestions from the common people within 30 days. MDDA had not done any awareness or citizen centric publicity for the Draft Master Plan.
At that time too, many citizen groups had raised questions regarding the Master Plan. It was demanded that the plan be drafted in an easy to understand language and measures be taken to make it accessible to the people of Dehradun. Nothing of the sort happened.
According to available information in the public domain, around 800 people have given their suggestions on the Draft. However, despite close to six months since the release of the Draft Plan, no people participation initiatives or meetings with citizens have been held on the Draft Master Plan.
Anoop Nautiyal has also focused on ten other points in his letter and said that despite how ecologically fragile the Doon Valley is, rampant constructions are carrying on in an unabated manner. As a result the erstwhile green city has turned into a grey city of concrete jungles. The development projects are myopic and are not keeping long-term sustainability in mind.
He also mentioned the Uttarakhand High Court’s comment on the Doon Valley Notification and requested that the current gaps be plugged. Anoop Nautiyal also expressed concerns regarding the fault lines passing through the city and its adjoining areas. Despite these concerns, MDDA is still giving go ahead to big residential and commercial projects in the area.
He suggested that the carrying capacity of the town of Dehradun should be kept in mind considering the estimated population of 23.5 lakh to 24 lakhs by 2041 as per estimates in the Draft Master Plan.
The letter seeks clarification on the above and also expresses concern over the entire city being dug up in the name of Smart City and other projects.
Citing the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, the letter said that this will only lead to further traffic congestion in the city and make the existing infrastructure, or lack thereof, crumble further.
The letter also raises questions on the state of public transport, parking and traffic situation in Dehradun.
Apart from this, Anoop Nautiyal has also mentioned other grim challenges of the city, such as cleanliness and hygiene, traffic, drainage, greenery, climate and others. The letter demands assurance that infrastructure development in the city will keep such issues in mind.
He hoped that MDDA and the Uttarakhand government will consider all the points raised in the letter and will take the development process forward in a sustainable manner and will answer the questions in larger public interest.
Meanwhile according to SDC the Dehradun cantonment board has today taken a laudable initiative by way of managing the recycling waste through setting up of three polythene Waste Bank. This Kachra Bank is providing the facility of collection of plastic material and recycling of the waste etc.
