Thursday, 22 January 2015

Planning a new locality

 planning a new locality 
People spend most of the time in their houses. The locality in which they live requires to be comfortable satisfying their daily civic requirements. Such localities were planned earlier in Delhi and then in Chandigarh.


The site to be selected for a new locality should be convenient to reach the city center. The site should not lead to urban sprawl but enable to provide compactness in the city form for reducing the cost of services including the length of roads. The site should be suitable according to topographical features for providing water supply, storm water flow, and underground drainage (UGD). The site should not be low lying to avoid flooding during rainy season like; HSR Layout Viveknagar, part of Shivajinagar, etc.


The population to be accommodated may be about 50,000, i.e., about 10,000 families. Lesser population than this will not support the services including market. The policy of forming BDA extensions with only independent sites requires to be reviewed. The development should be for low rise apartments in a major portion, high rise apartments facing the main roads along the peripheries of the locality, and  about 20% of the locality area with sites of 12mx18m ( 40'x60') and 15mx 24m( 50'x80') facing the interior roads. Minimum number of independent sites is suggested in view of the high land values in Bangalore and the trend for high rise buildings converting the old bungalow sites in Malleswaram, Basavangudi, Indiranagar, cantonment areas, and other areas with big sites.
Main roads 24 m(80') or 30m(100') wide, according to the connectivity on either side of the locality, should be only along the boundary to see that through traffic does not pass through the locality. This will avoid risk to pedestrians by speeding vehicles, nuisance by unauthorized commercial uses, etc.  Minor roads 18m (60') wide one each from each side of the locality to reach the central part where the community center is suggested. Access roads to be of minimum 12m (40') wide to allow two traffic lanes, service lines, and tree planting.


Community Center is suggested in the center of the locality for convenience to the residents in all parts of the locality. The facilities suggested in the community are as follows : 
· Shopping complex with a departmental store, restaurants, shops, and market for vegetables and fruits, mutton, chicken and fish stalls.
· An office complex with branch offices of BBMP, BESCOM, BWSSB, Telecom Department., post office, banks, advocates offices, consulting doctor's clinics, smaller private sector offices. etc.
· A public sector health centre with maternity facilities.
· Main park for elders walking and jogging, play ground for youngsters, and a club. Number of trees may be planted in the parks.
· Smaller parks and play grounds in various parts of the locality as lung spaces and play spaces for children. If a natural valley passes through the area, valley margins as per zoning regulations is to be provided with tree planting and walking tracks.
· Schools for nursery, primary, and secondary classes by public or private sector.
· A bus terminus for BMTC buses, with auto / taxi stand, and parking of vehicles. No bus stop is necessary along the roads as the bus terminus is within walking distance in the center of the locality.


As all the civic amenities and services including shopping is provided in the locality within walking distance, no change in land use may be permitted allowing commercial activities that disturb the residents. If they require major shopping, convents, and recreational facilities, the residents may go the city center and other places. We have seen the agitations and public interest litigations by the Residents Welfare Association of Koramangala and other localities where commercial activities every where is disturbing the residents.

BBMP and BDA may enforce the provisions as suggested in the locality plan strictly to see that peaceful localities are available to the residents in future for better quality of life.

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