The Master Plan of local planning area indicates the proposed land uses, zoning of land use for residential, commercial, parks and playgrounds, public and semipublic, Industrial, agricultural, recreational, educational and other public purposes, proposed circulation pattern, and a set of zoning regulations & by laws.

We often hear that their exists many town which are designed without any planning. This seems to be quite contradictory, though, because many of the bigger towns actually have some sort of a master plan. Why do today’s towns with master plans seem so unstructured and unplanned? What must be altered to enhance planning and better urban growth management?

We have noticed that early master plans are somewhat successful in providing broad guidance on each city’s population projections and main structural forms. However, they were implemented only to a limited extent or proved rather ineffective in concretely guiding development, especially in terms of major land uses and supporting infrastructure facilities.

The critical reasons for which master plans in the towns are ineffective are-

  1. The master plan’s own inherent weaknesses
  2. Disconnection between spatial planning, industry or infrastructure plans and choices on budgeting and investment planning
  3. The absence of coordination between key agencies
  4. Lack of or inefficient controls on growth
  5. Unrealistic norms and laws for planning in present scenario
  6. Limited enforcement ability and resources
  7. Disconnect between horizontal land use planning and vertical property uses

Therefore, solutions and approaches of planning need to be innovative and practical. Treatment of masterplan as regulatory plan rather than treating it as just land use approval document. Also, there is a need to empower local authorities as they have the keenest on-the-ground knowledge.

In nutshell “Master plan should be master of all plans made for the urban local bodies.”