Strategies of Redevelopment for General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) Colonies
in Delhi
in Delhi
Role : Urban Design Consultant
Organisation : Delhi Urban Arts Commission
Contribution : Data collection, assimilation and analysis. Formulation of design guidelines / recommendations based on national and international best practices. Publication design and graphical representations. Team coordination.
General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) is a scheme for group housing. All Central Government employees working under government of NCT are entitled for allotment of accommodation, under the Directorate of Estates in India, classified under 11 categories based on the designation of the employees. This report highlights existing redevelopment patterns of GPRA colonies. It suggests a holistic strategy for the same and demonstrates feasible densities through derived efficiency factors.
This study was taken up by DUAC to prepare a holistic vision bearing in mind elements of landscape design, ecology, mobility, urban controls, identity and quality of open spaces. As most of these developments are located in areas with large, mature green cover, the preservation of its ecology, especially trees, is of utmost priority.
As demonstrated in this study, efficient planning coupled with sustainable design and engineering is required at the planning, design, construction and maintenance stages in our cities to improve the quality of the open spaces. Redevelopment is a challenging process as it needs to preserve the essential character of the city and blend the future requirements with advanced design innovations which serve the needs of society.