Local Area Planning (LAP) in India

• Over the last few decades, cities have experienced rapid urbanization. A large number of people are migrating to urban areas for increased opportunities.
• Current DP-TP Scheme mechanisms are in place for planning and development in green field areas.
• Older inner city areas and developed suburbs are often left to become congested and deteriorated.
• There is a need for improving and revitalizing inner city areas through careful examination and planning.
• A Local Area Plan incentivizes inner city developed areas to redevelop and regenerate.
• This allows more people to get better access to amenities.
• It enhances the existing road network and upgrades infrastructure.
• The LAP mechanism aims at a sensitive approach to planning and implementation in areas with built heritage and/or cultural value.
• The aim is to conserve and enhance the existing culture, heritage, and environment of such areas.

History and Background of LAP Mechanism in India

• The concept of improvement of existing urban areas has been recognized since the early stages of urbanization in India.
• The first City Improvement Trust (CIT) was established in Bombay in 1898, following the Bombay Plague of 1896.
• The CIT's purpose was to improve poor housing and sanitation conditions in tenements and slums.
• The Bombay Improvement Trust had the power to invoke eminent domain to decongest slums and improve living conditions for the poor.
• The Trust focused on physical planning, including creating new streets, constructing housing for low-income residents, and reclaiming land for urban expansion.
• These improvements were specifically intended to enhance and glorify the city's image as a center of imperial and commercial power.
• In the early 20th century, multiple city improvement trusts were established across various provinces in colonial India.
• Examples include Mysore (1903), Calcutta (1911), and Lucknow (1919) in the United Provinces.