BRIEF ON THE SALIENT FEATURES OF MASTER PLAN FOR PLANNING AREA

1.0 Master Plan for Port Blair Planning Area In an effort towards the planned and sustainable development of Port Blair town and the surrounding villages which are environmentally sensitive and ecologically fragile, the Hon’ble Lt. Governor has approved the Master Plan for Port Blair Planning Area and the approval is notified in A &N gazette. The Master Plan for Port Blair comes into operation with effect from the date of Notification that is on 1st March 2012. The Master Plan is a long term plan for the town and the surrounding villages incorporating physical, social, economic and environmental aspects of development.

The Master Plan covers Port Blair town and the immediate surrounding 31 villages which were notified as Port Blair Planning/Development area and two Part villages viz, Austinabad and Minnie Bay and Viper Island. The surrounding villages cover up to Beadonabad in the South and Wandoor in the South-West, Tusnabad in the West, Wimberlygunj in the North, extending an area of 157 sq.km. The list of villages in the Port Blair Planning Area is:-

1. Badmas Pahar 13. 25. Shore Point 2. Bamboo Flat 14. Govindapuram 26. Sippighat 3. Beadonabad 15. Hasmatabad 27. Stewartgunj 4. Bimblitan 16. Homfreygunj 28. Teylerabad 5. Brichgunj 17. 29. 6. Brookshabad 18. Maymyo 30. Viper Island 7. Calicut 19. Mittakhari 31. Wandoor 8. Chouldari 20. Muslim Basti 32. Wimberlygunj 9. Craikabad 21. Namunaghar 33. Austinabad (part) 10. Dhanikhari 22. Ograbraj 34. Minnie Bay (part) 11. Dollygunj 23. Pahargaon 12. Dundas Point 24. Prothrapur

The Master Plan for Port Blair Planning Area has been evolved based on various consultative meetings based on the procedure enunciated in the A & N islands Town & Country Planning Regulation, 1994 including consultations with public representatives, elected bodies and open house with general public. Page 1 of 4

2.0 Salient features of the Master Plan The salient features of the Master Plan are as below:- 1) The population of the Port Blair Planning Area is expected to grow 3.71 lakh by year 2030. The Master Plan provides for creation of physical and social infrastructure based on requirements to support population growth up to 2030. The Planning area was zoned for various land uses like Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Public & Semi-Public and Traffic and Transportation etc. Mixed Land use zoning has also been provided to accommodate different permissible/ confirming uses in various Land Use zones. 2) The Master Plan systematically decongests the already congested Municipal area by providing additional FAR in the villages in the Planning area. 3) Heritage/Conservation/Urban Renewal areas/sites have been identified for preservation of historical/architectural and cultural history of the town. The natural heritage such as mangroves, Reserved Forests, water bodies have also been preserved from intensive urban development to save the fragile Ecology of the islands. 4) Taking into the consideration the future population requirements of the Port Blair Planning Area, various project proposals have been conceptualized such as the Andaman Marine Drive, radial roads, widening of existing roads, development of tourism nodes in Wandoor, Chouldari, Craikabad and Administrative node in Manglutan, Humfrigunj etc. In addition, there is a proposal for development of Bus terminus in Garachrama for ATR bound buses. A truck terminal is also recommended in the nearby locality. Many more projects to cater to the requirements of the planning area by 2030 have been suggested. 5) The Master Plan also covers the Development Regulations which include Zoning Regulations, Planning Norms, Layout Regulations including norms for Parking, norms for Group Housing, Tree Planting, Water Harvesting, Augmentation of Non-conventional energy sources such as Solar and Wind etc. 6) The Planning norms includes minimum plots size, minimum plot frontage, minimum abutting road width, maximum FAR, maximum plot

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coverage permissible, maximum height and number of floors permissible for various land use zones along with setback requirements etc. 7) In order to cater to the parking requirements of the town as well as the planning area in future, stilt parking is permitted. Stilt floor having floor height not more than 2.4 m (measured between the floor level and the bottom of roof beam) is permitted in the buildings exclusively for parking purpose. 8) Considering the heterogeneity of nature of development of Port Blair Planning Area which includes densely populated areas, urban areas and the villages in the planning area, it was categorized under three groups viz., Continuous Building Areas in Port Blair Town, Port Blair Municipal Council area excluding Continuous Building Areas and the villages in the Port Blair Planning Area for application of Planning Norms. 9) Separate norms for development of residential and industrial layouts were evolved which includes the minimum road width, minimum plot size, splay in the road intersection etc. Reservation for Open Space and reservation of land for community facilities were also given.

10) Accordingly the Master Plan envisages amendment in the provisions of Port Blair Municipal Council Bye-Laws, 1999 and Andaman & Nicobar Panchayat (Administration) Rules, 1997.

3.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF MASTER PLAN With the approval of the Master Plan, all development in the Port Blair Planning area henceforth shall be in accordance with Master Plan for Port Blair Planning Area. There are two types of approvals required for any development viz. Planning Permission and Approval of Building Plan. In addition, for plotted development, approval of layout will also have to be obtained. Any violation of the provisions of Master Plan will be dealt in accordance with penal provisions enunciated in the A & N Islands Town & Country Planning Regulations, 1994.

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At present, building activities within the Municipal area are regulated under the provisions of PBMC Bye-Laws, 1999 and in the villages as per the provisions contained in Chapter-7- Control of Building Operations under Panchayat (Administration) Rules, 1997. The power for issue of planning permission and approval of Building Plan up to certain level is delegated to the local bodies, that is, Port Blair Municipal Council and the Village Panchayats. The power for issue of Planning Permission and Approval of Building Plan is delegated to the local bodies for construction of buildings for plots having area up to 500 sqm and for development of layout not exceeding 8 plots in number with total extent of layout not exceeding 1000 sqm. The Planning permission for Construction of building for plot exceeding 500 sqm and development of layout with plots exceeding 8 in number with total area more than 1000 sqm in extent will be issued by the Port Blair Planning and Development Authority (PBPDA). The PBPDA is to be constituted shortly. Till the time that the PBPDA is constituted, the Town & Country Planning unit will look after the functions of Port Blair Planning and Development Authority under the supervision of Comm-cum- Secy (PWD/UD) & Town Planner.

Applications for Planning Permission and the approval of Building Plan shall be submitted to the local bodies concerned. The local bodies both PBMC as well as Village Panchayats may process the applications and issue Planning Permission and approve Building Plan under the provisions of Master Plan, if it is within the powers delegated to them. The applications received for development exceeding the delegated powers shall be forwarded to the Town & Country Planning unit, A & N Administration for obtaining Planning Permission. Upon receipt of Planning Permission, the local bodies can issue Approval for Building Plans for taking up development as per the Master Plan.

Master Plan Reports and Land Use Maps have been uploaded in the A & N Administration website: www.and.nic.in. For further queries in this matter, one may contact the Town & Country Planning Unit, Nirman Bhawan Complex, Port Blair. (Phone No. 03192 232181 and email- [email protected]) ------

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