Lutyens Bungalow Zone gets fresh map
New Delhi's Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ) will be cut down by 5 square kilometres from the current 28.73 square km to 23.60 square km. Also, the 600 bungalows which were granted permission to be built higher and non-residential premises can have up to 7 floors. These guidelines regarding the LBZ were issued by the Ministry of Urban Development.
Lutyens Bungalow Zone in New Delhi
"Lutyens Bungalow Zone" is the residential area in the heart of Delhi. Barring 254.5 acres, all land in LBZ belongs to the central government. LBZ was first notified in 1988 and later modified in 2003. The zone has a very strict restructuring policy and permissions are given by the PMO itself. It is also one of the most expensive real estate locations in India.
LBZ: House to India's political, judicial, army heads
The LBZ area houses the official residence of "the President of India, the Prime Minister and all other Union ministers, members of Parliament, senior most members of the judiciary, senior most officers of the armed forces and the civil services" making it the heart of India in a way.
Cries for more lenient restructuring rules
The restrictions on redevelopment are perhaps the severest in LBZ than anywhere in India. The renovations too are highly monitored, with residences not getting vertical modifications and no basements. Moreover, the area has three sets of lobbyists calling for a change in rules: the builders lobby, the conservation (of Delhi's imperial structures) lobby and the environmental lobby.
Lutyens Bungalow Zone may get 3 zones
Strict guidelines which forbid any changes to the properties falling under the LBZ has made many of its residents send petitions to the government that their areas be dropped out of Lutyens Bungalow Zone. The government is thinking of dividing the area into 3 zones: LBZ, Ridge and Heritage. This way the area can have proper zonal jurisdiction and set rules to adhere to.
480 structures getting rebuilt in LBZ
The Central government finalised a plan to rebuild 480 structures in the Lutyens' bungalow zone. The union urban development ministry moved a cabinet note with this proposal saying that the bungalows were structurally "unsafe and have outlived their 60-year life". The entire redevelopment project is expected to cost the government around Rs.3,000 crore and will be completed by 2035.
