Delhi's 2047 Master Plan lacks disability metrics, experts warn

The Master Plan for Delhi 2047, notified by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and unveiled by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal on August 20, contains multiple commitments to create an inclusive city for persons with disabilities. However, accessibility experts have raised concerns about whether these scattered provisions can be effectively implemented and measured without a specific disability-focused performance indicator embedded in the plan's own accountability framework.

The master plan mandates that all building structures, regardless of land use, comply with space standards for barrier-free built environments. It also stipulates that pedestrian infrastructure be designed as inclusive civic spaces with priority given to elderly citizens, children, and persons with disabilities. These provisions represent a significant acknowledgement of accessibility requirements in urban planning.

Despite these commitments, the absence of a dedicated disability KPI creates uncertainty about monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Experts question whether scattered accessibility mandates can translate into a city genuinely navigable end-to-end for persons with disabilities without quantifiable performance targets and oversight mechanisms built into the plan itself.

The gap highlights a persistent challenge in Indian urban planning: the tension between aspirational policy language and measurable outcomes. Without specific metrics to track accessibility improvements across Delhi's infrastructure, the master plan's inclusive vision may remain largely aspirational rather than translating into tangible improvements for the disability community.