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Guwahati to become metropolitan region

By AJIT PATOWARY

GUWAHATI, Nov 8 - Guwahati is proposed to be turned into a metropolitan region with a total area of about 3,471 square kilometres, embracing a new area of around 3,143 square kilometres. Its new area is proposed to include 1,061 villages and 30 urban centres spread over 15 revenue circles of the five districts of Kamrup {(Metro) Azara, Chandrapur, North Guwahati (Kamrup Metro part), Guwahati, Dispur and Sonapur revenue circles}, Kamrup (Hajo, Chhaygaon, Kamalpur, Goroimari, Palasbari and North Guwahati revenue circles), Nalbari (Barkhetri), Darrang (Sipajhar) and Morigaon (Mayong).

According to the draft delineation proposal notified by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) on October 8 and published on October 14, the proposed new areas include 216 villages and 13 urban centres from Kamrup (Metro) district, while the expanded areas of the city include 609 villages and 14 urban centres from Kamrup district, 104 villages from Nalbari district, 93 villages from Darrang district and 39 villages and three urban centres from Morigaon district. The existing Guwahati metropolitan area is 328 square kilometres.

The details of the full delineation proposal are available on the website �www.masterplangmda.in. GMDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Anurag Singh told this newspaper that the Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), an autonomous university, has prepared this draft delineation plan along with the review and revision of the master plan and zoning regulation for greater Guwahati metropolitan region (GMR) areas in line with the Delhi national capital region (DNR).

Public hearing on the draft delineation plan started on October 20 for a one-month period, by inviting objections, or, suggestions on the draft plan. The government may consider extension of this process for another month in case the affected people demand such an extension, said the GMDA CEO.

The extension of the GMR is proposed with an eye on developing the Guwahati suburban areas in a planned manner and regulating their land use patterns under one umbrella, he said. It is also aimed at equally distributing the development benefits to all the suburban areas surrounding Guwahati, he said.

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