Delhi set for revamped TOD policy to connect metro with high-footfall areas through walkways: Khattar
Khattar said the revamped TOD policy aims to address the persistent first-mile and last-mile connectivity gaps for metro users, especially at stations with low parking availability and where para-transport availability is erratic
New Delhi
Delhi is set to implement a revamped transit-oriented development (TOD) policy to allow direct connectivity between high-footfall areas, such as commercial complexes and office spaces, and metro stations through elevated walkways or underground subways, Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Friday.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Urban Mobility India (UMI) 2025 conference in Gurugram, the minister said the framework is ready and can be rolled out within a month.
“We don’t need to bring people onto the road. Elevated stations can directly connect to buildings from above, and underground stations can link from below,” he said, adding this will be done primarily where right-of-ways are missing.
However, MoHUA has yet to notify both the Delhi Master Plan and the NCR Regional Plan, which are at least three years overdue. Across India, including Delhi, TOD has largely remained on paper. Even showcase projects, such as the Karkardooma (East Delhi), which was announced nearly a decade ago, have seen scant progress due to stalled land-use changes and delays in planning approvals. TOD was first introduced in the 2006 National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP).
Khattar said the revamped TOD policy aims to address the persistent first-mile and last-mile connectivity gaps for metro users, especially at stations with low parking availability and where para-transport availability is erratic. “Many people have to walk long distances to reach a station or find a vehicle. This new policy will provide seamless access so that commuters can get from their home to the metro, and from the metro to their office, smoothly,” he said.
Khattar also announced that three new organisations will be carved out of the existing Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which will then continue to run its 400-km network and proposed extensions. The Delhi Metro International Limited (DMIL) will act as the nodal agency on behalf of the MoHUA to execute consultancy projects in India and abroad; a second organisation that will carry out planning, coordination, and management of Mass Rapid Transit Systems (MRTS) across the country, and a Centre of Excellence, which will create capacity required for expanding metro network of the country.
Pod taxis, ropeways
To address chronic congestion in high-density urban cores, such as Old Delhi, the minister said the Centre is considering a policy framework for pod taxis and ropeways.
These systems, likely with a capacity of 10 passengers per pod or similar vehicle, are aimed at providing short-haul mobility in narrow, crowded streets where conventional public transport cannot operate.
“Such systems can be deployed where the road width is inadequate. Varanasi is soon to get the country’s first urban ropeway system with trial runs already underway,” Khattar said.
RRTS
The government is readying the roll-out of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) projects beyond the National Capital Region, where the country’s first such system is now functional, Khattar said.
The Delhi–Meerut RRTS is currently the only such operational network in the country.
“The cabinet note is ready. We are moving ahead to develop new cities and to bring the RRTS model to other regions,” he said, without getting into specifics of regions or routes.
Connectivity framework
The MoHUA is working on a “national first and last-mile connectivity” framework to make public transport seamless, the minister said. The plan includes station-area improvements, multimodal integration, and uniform guidelines for pick-up and drop-off zones so that commuters do not struggle to find vehicles after alighting from metro, RRTS or buses.
The proposal includes dedicated pick-up zones for two-wheelers, autorickshaws, taxis and even high-end fleet services to ensure organised passenger movement around stations.
“If anyone needs a motorcycle, they can go to one side; if they need an autorickshaw, to another; and a taxi, to a different (side). It should be organised and easy,” he said.
Premium seating
The minister also spoke about the need for differential pricing in urban transport systems to cater to commuters seeking more comfort. Drawing a parallel with Mumbai’s suburban “first class”, Khattar said he is personally in favour of a premium fare model that guarantees a seat and a higher level of comfort on certain services.
“People are willing to pay more rather than spend ₹30,000 a month on a car. Such options should be available,” he said.
