Delhi’s urban landscape is set for a major transformation over the next two decades, with the newly unveiled Master Plan Delhi 2047 seeking to accommodate a population of 3.2 crore while easing the pressure on the capital’s limited land and infrastructure.

The plan envisages 30-40 lakh new homes, largely through redevelopment, densification, land pooling and transit-oriented development, with affordable housing at the centre of the strategy. With the metro network also targeted to expand to 695 km, the blueprint could reshape not just where Delhi’s residents live, but also how the city grows and how its real estate market evolves.

Outlining a long-term roadmap for Delhi’s urban development in line with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday that 30-40 lakh homes will be built in the national capital under Master Plan Delhi 2047 to accommodate its growing population, which is projected to reach 3.2 crore in the next two decades, with a focus on affordable housing.

“Today, in 2026, the Delhi Development Plan 2047 has been officially launched, aligned with the contemporary vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) to establish a structured roadmap for the capital’s growth through 2047,” he said.

“To accommodate an expected population increase of 80 lakh and the growing prevalence of nuclear families, the new plan targets the addition of 30 to 40 lakh new housing units, with a primary focus on affordable housing,” he said unveiling the Delhi Master Plan 2047.

“Because the city’s total land area remains fixed at 1,483 square kilometres, this surging population creates immense spatial and infrastructural pressure, reinforcing the need for planned urban development,” Khattar said while releasing the 535-page master plan, along with Delhi Lieutenant Governor T S Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

Khattar said the plan was designed to ensure that Delhi’s future expansion takes place in a planned manner while addressing the changing needs of its population.

Addressing a press conference, Khattar said Delhi’s population had risen from 94 lakh in 1991 to 1.38 crore in 2001 and 2.12 crore in 2021. It is currently estimated at around 2.4 crore and is projected to reach 3.2 crore by 2047.

Master Plan 2047 aims to meet this housing demand through redevelopment and densification of existing neighbourhoods, transit-oriented development (TOD), land pooling and planned expansion into new areas. Future housing development will be closely aligned with the availability of roads, public transport, water, sewerage and other essential infrastructure. In greenfield areas, future expansion will be driven largely through land pooling and other policy-led development models. The plan also promotes a mix of residential, commercial, industrial, recreational and public uses to create more integrated, self-contained neighbourhoods.

Metro to be expanded to 695 km by 2047

Under Master Plan 2047, Metro, RRTS networks are expected to support denser development.

Khattar said that the metro rail network will be expanded to 695 km by 2047 to support the growing population. Public transport, including metro rail, buses and six new Regional Rapid Transit System corridors, will also be developed in the city, he said.

On building norms in the city

Khattar said that the building height norms have been removed in the city, barring Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone, Civil Lines Bungalow Area, Connaught Place and its extension, Zone ‘O’ (the Yamuna floodplain and the Ridge), Land Pooling Areas, Low Density Areas, and areas restricted under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the National Monuments Authority (NMA).

For plotted residential housing outside these special zones, the master plan prescribes a maximum height of 15 metres for plots without stilt parking and 17.5 metres for plots with stilt parking. Commercial activities will be allowed on ground floors along roads 30 metres wide in residential areas. Data centres, co-working areas and cloud kitchens have been kept under the new economies category, the minister said.

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Khattar also said there is a proposal for round-the-clock activity zones: “There is a proposal to develop ’24-hour city’ zones, where operations continue around the clock.”

Multimodal transit hubs at Anand Vihar, Sarai Kale Khan and Kashmiri Gate, a unified parking management system, and relaxed floor area ratio (FAR) for various categories are also a part of the master plan notified by the Ministry.

TOD to facilitate affordable housing

Transit Oriented Development Policy will facilitate affordable housing, Khattar said, adding no farm houses will be allowed in low density areas.

“Furthermore, to support seamless mobility, the framework priorities public transport corridors-spanning Metro rail, bus networks, and RRTS-backed by a dedicated Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy to guide high-density growth along major transit routes,” the Union Minister said.

TOD, or transit-oriented development, means integrated urban places designed to bring people, activities, buildings, and public space together, with easy walking and cycling connections between them and near-excellent transit service to the rest of the city.

Also Read: Delhi Master Plan 2047 explained: What it means for housing, redevelopment and NCR’s real estate market

CM Gupta said the long-awaited MPD 2047 will revitalise the city by focusing on affordable housing and strengthening transportation facilities. The master plan, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, aims to transform Delhi into a world-class, inclusive and economically vibrant city for nearly 3.2 crore people.