In a major push for planned urbanisation, the Gujarat government has set a strict deadline for all its municipal corporations and urban development authorities to finalise their draft development plans. This accelerated timeline comes in the wake of the state successfully securing the bid to host the prestigious 2030 Commonwealth Games.
June 30 Deadline for Development Plans
The state's Urban Development Department (UDD) has issued a directive requiring all 17 municipal corporations (MCs) and urban development authorities (UDAs) to complete and finalise their draft development plans (DPs) by June 30, 2025. This move is a cornerstone of the state's strategy to ensure world-class infrastructure and systematic growth ahead of the mega sporting event.
State UDD Minister Kanu Desai emphasised the urgency, stating that the directive is aimed at ensuring "speedy and planned urbanisation". The instruction was given during a high-level review meeting chaired by Desai, where officials assessed various development works and proposed projects.
Addressing Pending Town Planning Schemes
In a parallel and equally significant directive, the minister has ordered all MCs and UDAs to finalise all pending Town Planning (TP) schemes by the same deadline of June 30, 2025. This mandate covers a wide range of stalled projects, with some TP schemes having been delayed for periods ranging from two years to as long as twenty years.
Officials present in the meeting identified two primary reasons for delays in planned development works. Firstly, the nine newly formed municipal corporations have not yet prepared their draft DPs. Secondly, the development plans of the eight older municipal corporations and UDAs are currently under revision, creating a bottleneck.
New Municipal Corporations and the Urban Development Year
The context for this push includes the state's recent administrative expansion. Earlier this year, the Gujarat government announced the formation of nine new municipal corporations, elevating major municipalities to corporation status. The new MCs are: Navsari, Gandhidham, Morbi, Vapi, Anand, Nadiad, Mehsana, Porbandar, and Surendranagar.
Furthermore, the state government has declared 2025 as the 'Urban Development Year', signalling a year-long focus on upgrading urban infrastructure and governance. The state also recently notified the Himmatnagar Urban Development Authority (HUDA) in Sabarkantha district, adding to the network of planning bodies.
Political and Administrative Implications
Sources indicate that this drive to finalise long-pending plans is also strategically timed with the upcoming local body elections. Elections for municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats, and taluka panchayats are scheduled for the first half of 2026. Completing these foundational planning exercises could allow the current administration to showcase a clear roadmap for development and commence visible projects ahead of the polls.
The concerted effort to fast-track urban planning underscores Gujarat's commitment to presenting a transformed and globally competitive urban landscape by the time it hosts the 2030 Commonwealth Games, while simultaneously addressing long-standing administrative delays.
