Pacts signed for master plan of district headquarters
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, June 20 2022: The government of Manipur on Monday signed two agreements with the director of School of Planning & Architecture (SPA), Bhopal for preparation of GIS based master plan for the horizon year 2042 for providing urban amenities in all the district headquarters of Manipur other than Imphal and developing Moreh town as gateway of South East Asia.

The event was held at the conference hall of MAHUD minister at the Old Secretariat.

The two agreements were signed by N Benju Singh, chief town planner Town Planning Department, Manipur, on behalf of the state government and Dr Shidharan, director School of Planning & Architecture, Bhopal, an institute of national importance under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, in the presence of MAHUD minister Yumnam Khemchand.

During the signing event, minister Khemchand said that the district headquarters of Manipur are rapidly growing without any development regulations and government interventions.

The district headquarters have experienced relatively rapid population growth.

This is expected to increase even further.

Most of the settlements in the DHQs, especially newly formed ones, are characterized by haphazard and unplanned growth, mushrooming unauthorized colonies and unplanned land conversion from agriculture to urban, resulting in environmental degradation and poor quality of life.

The proper management of DHQ areas calls for accurate and vital information to be available on a regular basis.

Considering the opportunity arising out of better connectivity network and the need for planned development, the state government has decided to take up preparation of GIS-based master plan preparation and listed as action points for the first 100 days, he added.

The MAHUD minister further stated that master plan/development plan is the major tool for land management, providing detailed land use allocation for the sustainable development of an area.

Most master development plans are made for 20-year period, in phases of five years for periodic review and revision.

Formulation of master plans starts with base map preparation, existing land use surveys and collection of socio-economic data necessary for reviewing the existing situation and proposing the future land use plan.

He then said that with the advances in remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS), the plan making process can be expedited with integration of both spatial and attribute data, which enable detailed assessment of spatial growth of towns/cities, land use status, physical infrastructure facilities, etc., in anticipation of the projected population growth.

The most crucial information for formulation of master plan is an accurate and updated very high resolution satellite-based map of the planning area, showing roads and building layouts, spatial extent of development and information on the use of each parcel of land, etc., he added.

Khemchand further informed that the major objectives of the agreement are to develop common digital geo-referenced base maps and land use maps, using Geographical Information System (GIS) for all the DHQs (other than Imphal) and Moreh.

And to assist the district administration in developing a concept plan for provision of urban amenities in all the district headquarters of hill areas of Chandel, Churachandpur, Kamjong, Kangpokpi, Noney, Pherzawl, Senapati, Tamenglong, Tengnoupal and Ukhrul districts, keeping 2042 as the horizon year.

The objectives also include preparation of a concept plan for developing Moreh into a model township as gateway to South East Asia under 'Act East Policy' of the centre government.

The proposal to incorporate basic infrastructure like providing commercial hub, tourist infrastructure, cultural centre, medical tourism, etc., keeping 2042 as the horizon year and preparation of GIS-based master plan for the DHQs of Bishnupur, Jiribam, Kakching and Thoubal for the horizon year 2042 under the Manipur Town and Country Planning (MTCP) Act, 1975 are major objectives of the agreement, the minister continued.

Regarding Greater Imphal, the GIS-based master plan preparation for the horizon year 2041 under Section 22 of the Manipur Town and Country Planning Act, 1975 by the same institution has been completed.

Objections or suggestions or opinions from person or persons affected by the draft master plan will be invited by giving two months' time as soon as the approval of the draft is obtained from the state cabinet.

The draft GIS-based master plan for Greater Imphal for the horizon year will be uploaded at the website of the Town Planning Department htps://www.tpmanipur.mn.gov.in immediately after the approval is obtained, he added.

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