The National Capital Region is likely to shrink to 100 km radius from Rajghat with the NCR Planning Board approving the Draft Regional Plan 2041 which is aimed at focused development of NCR's urban areas.
NCR currently spreads to around 150-175 km, covering entire districts and rural areas. But with the approval of Regional Plan 2041, areas beyond 100 km are not likely to be the main part of NCR.
A Detailed Draft Plan will soon be made public for suggestions and objections and thereafter, it will be notified by the NCR Planning Board.
Linear Corridors will be developed beyond 100 km radius and up to the existing NCR boundary, paving the way for development in areas falling within one km from expressways, national highways and regional rapid transit system.
Also, the decision to include or omit tehsils lying partly within this 100 km delineation will be left to the respective state governments.
The Regional Plan 2021, which is available on NCRPB's website, had identified seven Metro centres --- Faridabad-Ballabgarh, Gurgaon-Manesar, Ghaziabad-Loni, Noida, Sonepat-Kundli, Greater Noida and Meerut.
Besides, it had also identified 11 regional centres --- Bahadurgah, Panipat, Rohtak, Palwal, Rewari-Dharuhera-Bawal, Hapur-Pilkhua, Bulandshahr-Khurja, Baghpat-Baraut, Alwar, Greater Bhiwadi, Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror.
Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida and some areas of Meerut and others will remain part of NCR as they fall under 100 km-radius condition.
The Draft Regional Plan-2041 also paved the way for a future-ready, slum-free NCR with air ambulance facility and high-speed connectivity through helitaxis, road, rail and inland waterways.
The draft plan puts special impetus on 30-minute connectivity through super-fast trains within major cities of NCR and also proposes to explore feasibility of 30-minute Mass Transit Rail System (MTRS) from the nearest NCR boundaries to Delhi.