NEW DELHI: Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2047 has laid down conditions for approving new coaching centres, but has left several important technical and regulatory issues unclear, particularly for existing institutes and those operating along congested roads.The biggest takeaway is that coaching centres can now operate as educational or public and semi-public facilities in specified commercial centres; in schools after working hours, subject to conditions; and on residential plots even where the road is not notified for mixed-use or commercial activity. In case of schools, coaching or vocational centres will need prior approval or intimation and payment of prescribed fees, depending on whether the institute is run by govt, a local body or a private entity on leased land.For new layout-plan approvals, , MPD 2047 refers to the requirement of 18-metre-wide roads and plots of 500 sqm, along with two estimated car-parking spaces for every 100 sqm of FAR area. However, the plan does not clearly explain the future of existing coaching centres operating in narrow or congested areas.It states that centres can operate in local shopping complexes, community centres, district centres and metropolitan city centres but not convenience shopping complexes located in planned colonies and societies.An official said that following serious incidents of fire and flooding, a committee was constituted to examine the issue. “The guidelines issued by govt on coaching centres will have final binding and applicability,” he emphasised.Coaching institutes have raised concerns over anomalies, inconsistencies and lack of clarity in the master plan. “The plan should have provided all details related to coaching and tuition centres at one place rather than dividing them into various categories,” said Keshav Agarwal, president of Educators Federation. “There is confusion that requires clarification. For example, at one place it has been specified that a coaching centre shall run on a 500-sqm plot, while another section permits ‘other activities’, which include coaching centres, on residential plots with minimum sizes of 75 or 200 sqm, depending on the colony type,” he pointed out.Officials, however, said the 500-sqm requirement applies to new projects, while the 75-200-sqm provisions relate to MPD 2021 that have been carried forward into MPD 2047.While a provision allows home-based tuition centres for school students up to Class XII “on any floor”, a note immediately after it states “coaching/tuition centres” shall not be permitted in the colonies under A and B categories.MPD 2047 also doesn’t specify the maximum number of students, maximum floor area, permissible percentage of a dwelling unit, or number of batches for home-based tuition centres, said Agarwal. “The phrase ‘any floor’ does not clarify whether a basement is included,” he added.
