Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA’s) East Delhi hub is set to roll out India’ first transit-oriented development (TOD) project.
About Transit Oriented Development

• Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is an urban planning strategy that creates dense, mixed-use, and walkable communities centered around high-quality public transportation systems.
• The core principle is to deliberately integrate land use and transportation planning to maximize access to transit, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and foster more sustainable and livable cities.

Key Principles of TOD
TOD generally focuses on the D’s of development:

• Density: Encouraging higher residential and job densities within a 400 to 800 meter (≈1/4 to 1/2 mile) radius of the transit station. This concentrates activity to support transit ridership.
• Diversity (Mixed-Use): Integrating different land uses, such as residential, commercial, office, and recreational spaces, so that people can live, work, and shop within a short walking distance of the transit hub.
• Design (Walkability): Prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure. This includes high-quality sidewalks, narrow streets, public plazas, and reduced parking requirements to make walking to transit safe and convenient (solving the "last mile" problem).
• Destination (Transit Hub): Placing a major transit station (e.g., metro, light rail, or Bus Rapid Transit terminal) as the central feature of the neighborhood.

Benefits of TOD

• Environmental Sustainability: Reduces the need for driving, thereby lowering traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution.
• Economic Efficiency: Increases a city's economic competitiveness by concentrating jobs and creating agglomeration effects. It can also be used as a value-capture financing mechanism, where increased property values near the transit are taxed to fund the transit infrastructure itself.
• Improved Quality of Life: Creates more vibrant, social, and livable communities with shorter commutes and lower household transportation costs.
• Health Benefits: Promotes a healthier lifestyle by encouraging people to walk and cycle more.

Global and Indian Context
Many cities worldwide, including Hong Kong, Tokyo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen, have successfully implemented TOD principles.
In India, TOD is a key component of national urban policies like the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) and the Smart Cities Mission. Cities like Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru are adopting TOD policies, particularly around their expanding Metro Rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) networks, to manage rapid urbanization and promote sustainable growth.

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