The report analysed the entire LBZ area and identified potential for densification and redevelopment

1. Government Private Foreign Mission
Lutyens Bungalow Zone showing Ownership
With the decision to move the capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911, there
arose the necessity to set up ‘a new city’ whose foundation was laid by the then
King on 15.12.1911. The Town planning Committee (also known as ‘the Delhi
experts’) consisting of 3 permanent members viz. George S. C. Swinton, John
A. Brodie and Edwin L. Lutyens, which later included Herbert Baker,
advised the Government on selecting the site for locating the new city and also
prepared the city plan taking inputs from Champs Elyse’es and Regent Street
among others. Most of the constructions were carried out between 1914 and 1931
at a cost of 100,00,000 pounds. This makes most of the constructions in this area
more than 75 years old. Some of the buildings are, therefore, due for
reconstruction.
At the core of the New Delhi area lies the Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ),
defined first in 1988 by the Ministry of Urban Development through the
promulgation of the 1988 LBZ Guideline. The Lutyens Bungalow Zone area largely
consists of Government bungalow plots varying in size from 1 Acre to 4 Acres of
New Delhi Area showing Building Heights land, and having very low Ground Coverage of 6 to 8% with single storeyed con-
Zonal development plan struction. Out of the total area of 2800 ha., 847.5 ha. is under residential land use.
Out of this, 402.8 ha. Is occupied by government bungalows and 102,6 ha. by
private bungalows.
NEW DELHI AREA, new delhi municipal corporation
documentation
S u d h i r Vo h ra C o n s u l t a n t s professional academic personal

2. Several developments /
re-developments which
occurred particularly in
the 70s and 80s, tended to
militate against the basic
character of the area. This
led to laying down certain
restrictions regarding
residential development /
re-development.With the
phenomenal increase in
population of Delhi, the
increasing importance of
the Central Business
District, namely,
Connaught Place and the
poor transportation
facilities between LBZ area
other parts of the city, the
need for re-considering the
development norms within
LBZ has arisen time and
again.
Although, the LBZ
boundary was initially
delineated in the 1988
Guidelines (Refer Map 1),
this issue needs to be
appreciated in the light of
the fact that the LBZ
Proposed Subcity Components Proposed LBZ Boundary boundary has been altered
(by administrative /
Apart from the LBZ, the New Delhi consists of compo- The mandate set out to be achieved by the NDMC team executive action) on two
nents that are central to the image of Delhi; the Ridge, the was to propose the revised delineation of the LBZ. The revised subsequent occasions:
Diplomatic area of Chanakyapuri, and other Historic Precincts, LBZ delineation plan was to be substantiated with relevant maps, In 1997, the residential
like the Lodhi Gardens & Safdarjung Airport. While some such along with reasons for removal / addition of recommended areas. areas of Bengali Market
areas existed prior to the Lutyens Plan, most were built post In- Recommend Development Control Rules after examining all the and the Golf Links colony
dependence (1947). Such components (or “Subcities” ) needed to were removed from the
historic and current suggestions made by various committees /
be defined separately, and dealt with in a manner unique to each LBZ boundaries (Map 2).
Subcity. DUAC over the last 2 decades. While areas like the ridge were
In 2003 (Map 3), the
promptly removed from the LBZ (being a Reserve Forest under 1988 guidelines (in
the Indian Forests Act 1927), other areas required detail urban particular clause 2 (b) iv)
studies in order to support any recommendations for removal or was reinterpreted, to
Zonal development plan addition to the LBZ Boundary. “include one plot depth”
on various roads bounding
the LBZ of 1988. Historical Evolution of the LBZ
NEW DELHI AREA, new delhi municipal corporation
Analysis & Proposal
S u d h i r Vo h ra C o n s u l t a n t s professional academic personal

3. The detailed urban study Govt. Group
carried out for each Land
N20
Bungalow Govt. Housing Office Housing Heritage Socio Cultural Institutional TOTAL
Parcel involved identifica-
Area (Ha.) 7.7 4.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 14.7
tion & mapping of Land Use
%age 52.4% 31.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 16.4% 100.0%
Patterns, and in some cases,
Land Use Distribution
Land Management issues. 16%
The Northern Part of the 0%
Bungalow
LBZ (above the Central
Govt. Housing
Vista, shown on the right),
Govt. Office
was the critical area as it lies
Group Housing
53%
Heritage
closer to the Central 31% Socio Cultural
Business District (Con- Institutional
Ownership Pattern in North LBZ naught Place) and falls under
enormous real estate pres-
sures. It was essential to map
each and every property
tobe able to the inclusion of
certain critical areas into the
LBZ. The LBZ DCR proposed
were: Ground Coverage
12.5%; Floor Area Ratio
(FAR) 20; Building Height 8
m; Basement construction
The pocket is bound by Tolstoy Marg, Kasturba Gandhi
Not allowed in Bungalow
Marg, Feroz Shah Road and a short stretch of Janpath
before turning behind Eastern Court, and joining up with
plots. Atul Grove Road, upto Tolstoy Marg
Land Use Pattern in North LBZ Sample Urban Study carried out for each Land Parcel
eated with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com
The team undertook a study of all data available with the to the land parcels which the NDMC recommends should be
CPWD, DUAC, MOUD, and the NDMC, as well as the historical deleted / added on to the LBZ territory. Studied applicable land
data available on why the LBZ was promulgated. Mapped the entire laws/ municipal laws / planning laws to establish the various pro-
study territory using aerial and satellite data made available from visions of urban laws applicable to the issues under study.
the National Informatics Centre , with particular reference to: Created sample redevelopment studies of five selected land parcels
i. Built Volume - building height and footprints with a view to establishing:
ii. Land use as existing , as proposed in the MPD 2021 , and i. What would be the implications of extra Ground coverage S3
as specified in previous Master Plans norms, FAR norms, and other such DCR?
iii. Transport and ROW data ii. How much would be added in terms of basic Dwelling
iv. Land ownership data. Units / Acre?
Cross checked the available data with Ground surveys. iii. How would the existing street characteristics of the LBZ
avenues be retained in a redevelopment exercise?
The slides on the left show a the quantitative change in aspects such S4
as number of bungalows, plot sizes, public land as well as new &
old constructions.
Zonal development plan
Analyzed the territory pocket by pocket, with special reference
NEW DELHI AREA, new delhi municipal corporation Existing Bungalow Precinct Redeveloped Precinct
Analysis & Proposal
S u d h i r Vo h ra C o n s u l t a n t s professional academic personal