Government Of Assam Housing & Urban Affairs Directorate of Town and Country Planning

Key Achievements of the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Assam

The Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Assam, under the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, has achieved significant milestones in strengthening planned, data-driven, and sustainable urban development across the State. Through statutory planning, digital transformation, institutional strengthening, and infrastructure financing, the Directorate has laid a strong foundation for future-ready urban growth in Assam.

1. Achievements in Master Plan Preparation

The Directorate has made substantial progress in advancing planned urban development through systematic preparation, approval, and notification of statutory Master Plans.

As per the latest status, a total of 102 towns (excluding Guwahati and North Guwahati) are covered under various stages of Master Plan preparation—representing one of the most extensive planning coverages achieved in the State.

Final Master Plans Notified / Published – 75 Towns

A total of 75 towns have successfully completed the full statutory cycle of Master Plan preparation and have been officially notified and published in the Assam Gazette. These include major urban centres as well as Class-III and peri-urban towns.

The notified Master Plans provide a legal framework for:

• regulated land use and zoning
• infrastructure and mobility planning
• environmental protection
• disaster resilience and sustainable growth

Several notified plans are also undergoing periodic revision to align with emerging urban needs.

Draft Master Plans in Advanced Stages – 27 Towns

In addition to the notified plans, 27 towns are in advanced stages of Draft Master Plan finalisation, including:

• Drafts ready for placement before the Advisory Council
• Drafts reviewed by the Technical Committee
• Drafts under public objection and consultation stage

This reflects the continuous pipeline of planning activity across Assam.

Overall Coverage Achieved

Category	Number of Towns
Final Master Plans Notified	75
Draft Master Plans (Advanced Stages)	27
Total Towns Covered	102

This extensive coverage supports:

• regulated and orderly urban growth
• infrastructure prioritisation
• environmental and heritage protection
• balanced socio-economic development
• alignment with SDG-11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

2. GIS-Based Planning and Digital Transformation

Under the Directorate, the GIS GeoHub has been established to strengthen geospatial planning and evidence-based decision-making.

• All the GIS-based master plan preparation works are reviewed and vetted by the GeoHub before uploading onto the GIS GeoHub portal. The portal contains all the GIS files of master plans, includes functionalities for studying the terrain, changes in urban built-up and sprawl, utilities like water supply where available, etc. 74 GIS-based Final Master Plan maps are now publicly accessible through the portal, enhancing transparency and public access to planning information.

This initiative has significantly improved planning accuracy, monitoring, and inter-departmental coordination.

3. Assam Urban Knowledge Hub (AUKH) – Urban Reforms & Innovation

The Directorate has also established the Assam Urban Knowledge Hub as a dedicated centre for implementing urban reforms and pilot projects.

• A team of 17 urban planners is engaged in planning and facilitating innovative urban initiatives.
• Pilot projects in Guwahati include:
  • junction redesign and redevelopment
  • blue-green infrastructure development
  • terrain modelling for drainage and flood mitigation
• A specialised sub-group is undertaking Drainage Master Plans for selected towns using LiDAR and DGPS survey data, under the guidance of the Drainage & Sewerage Division of T&CP.

These initiatives are strengthening Assam’s capacity for climate-resilient and people-centric urban development.

4. Urban Water Bodies Conservation & AURA Application

To safeguard urban water systems, the Assam Urban Water Bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Act, 2024 has been notified, followed by preparation of the Water Bodies Rules defining the Standard Operating Procedures for survey and scheduling.

In this regard:

• The AURA mobile and web application, developed in collaboration with ASSAC, is being used for systematic water-body surveys.
• Surveys are currently underway in 18 headquarter towns, covering water bodies on public and community-owned land.

This initiative ensures protection of urban water bodies against encroachment and supports flood mitigation, ecological balance, and sustainable urban resilience.

5. City Infrastructure Development Fund (CIDF)

The Government of Assam, through the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, is implementing the City Infrastructure Development Fund (CIDF) for infrastructure development in 15 towns (excluding Guwahati).

Key Achievements under CIDF

• 223 projects sanctioned with a total investment of ₹1,034.64 crore
• ₹724.66 crore released under SOPD for ongoing and completed works
• 172 projects physically completed
• 151 projects both physically and financially completed

The Government has committed to completing all ongoing projects and clearing all past liabilities, reinforcing confidence in urban infrastructure delivery.

Conclusion

Through statutory planning, GIS-based digital transformation, urban innovation, water-body conservation, and infrastructure financing, the Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Assam has emerged as a key driver of structured, resilient, and future-ready urban development.

These achievements reflect the Directorate’s sustained commitment to transparency, sustainability, and citizen-centric planning across Assam.

 

 

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