Chandigarh Master Plan- 2031: Work for turning Vikas Marg into city’s 3rd commercial corridor starts
The administration, after nearly seven years of dormancy, has finally initiated the work to implement the Chandigarh Master Plan – 2031 vision for creating a commercial corridor on Vikas Marg, V2 road.
The UT administration has finally got going on building the city’s third commercial hub on Vikas Marg.
Over 230 acres on both sides of the 7.5-km on Vikas Marg, a V2 (artery) road, will be developed into the city’s third major commercial and institutional hub. The other two commercial corridors are on the Madhya Marg and Dakshin Marg.
The administration, after nearly seven years of dormancy, has finally initiated the work to implement the Chandigarh Master Plan – 2031 vision for creating a commercial corridor on this road.
“The UT estate office has been directed to prepare a plan to auction commercial sites in Sectors 51, 52, 53, 54 and 56. Areas in Sector 52 and 56, vacated by rag pickers, have been planned for commercial, social and infrastructural development,” said a senior UT official.
New areas will have larger floor plates and adequate provision for underground parking, integrated services, green landscaping and pedestrian connectivity to all areas.
UT adviser Dharam Pal has been taking regular review meetings for implementing different projects under the master plan.
Mixed land-use development
The plan proposes mixed land use with commercial spaces on lower floors of multi-storeyed towers and institutional /residential spaces above it. The proposed development will be a departure from the concept of the Madhya Marg which has the commercial belt on one side and institutional on the other.
“Another departure from the concept of the Madhya Marg is that in place of plotted development, compartmentalised by boundary walls, the planning will be open with buildings directly opening into a public plaza,” states the plan.
“The buildings will be interspersed with greens to maintain the open and spacious character of the town. The architectural controls are to be modulated in keeping with the functional requirements of various land uses while harmonising with Chandigarh’s architectural character,” said the official.
The concept of the corridor revolves around self-sustaining building blocks rather than SCOs, thus enabling greater flexibility in the use of internal spaces and experiences.