What is TOD, or transit-oriented development?

The goal of the urban planning concept known as “Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD) is to build mixed-use neighborhoods close to transit hubs in high-density areas. Metro areas like Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Mumbai, which are undergoing fast urbanization, exponential population expansion, and increased traffic congestion, have widely adopted the idea.

India has some of the world’s fastest-growing cities, according to World Bank statistics. Despite only having a 35 percent urbanization rate, there are an estimated 506 million people living there, which is a substantially larger population than in many other nations. Urbanization is a good thing, but it also comes with a number of problems, including a rise in private vehicles, pollution, problems with public safety, and a lack of housing options, which puts a lot of strain on a city’s physical infrastructure. The government has linked land-use policy and transport planning, paving the way for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy, in an effort to buck this trend and assert a sustainable future for all.

Understanding TOD 

A micro- or macro-level development strategy called transit-oriented development (TOD)   mixed-use neighborhoods around transit hubs to promote sustainable living. The development is concentrated on producing elements required for human survival. For instance, creating residential, commercial/office, mall, and entertainment spaces close to metro, BRTS, and ferry stations ensures convenient accessibility and a high standard of living for city people.

The walkable atmosphere that TOD provides makes it easy for locals and workers to get to local businesses, markets, and other destinations. Also, it encourages people to use public transport, reducing traffic congestion and pollution.

TOD involves

• Developments with mixed-use spaces less than 2,000 feet from the transit node on average
• A major transport hub at the center of the evolving model
• Streets that favor pedestrians
• Designs that emphasize non-motorized modes of transportation like bicycles and walking
• Supervised parking areas
• Preservation of delicate ecosystems and superior open areas
• Advantages of TOD
• A higher standard of living and improved access to places to work, play, and live
• Improved public safety
• Increased use of the underground
• Decreased household travel spending
• The best possible use of urban lands

Incentives from the government to implement the TOD framework

• Increased Floor Space Index (FSI) for developers 
• reduced parking charges for businesses

TOD challenges

Due to a lack of support from the local government, TOD implementation suffers. Every city has zoning regulations and building laws that are created for suburban-scale, automobile-oriented growth. Zoning regulations must be approved in order for TOD to be implemented. TOD development is negatively impacted by any limitations or delays with regard to FSI limits, minimum parking, front setback requirements, building height restrictions, and landscaping specifications.

TOD is a ground-breaking development strategy that strives to enhance the quality of life, lower levels of traffic congestion and pollution, and assure optimal use of urban areas to make room for more real estate developments. Its implementation, though, is still difficult. Cities that have already embraced the TOD structure, such as Chennai, Kochi, Rachi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, and Mumbai, have already run into a number of issues from local bodies. To address the current issues and guarantee successful TOD implementation, necessitates rapid government intervention.

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