India Bans Construction Within Fifteen Metres Of Ring Roads And Bypasses
India is set to implement a new nationwide policy that prohibits construction within fifteen metres on either side of greenfield and access-controlled ring roads and bypasses. The Union Road Transport Ministry is finalising this framework to curb ribbon development and ensure congestion-free transport corridors across the country.
State governments will be required to notify these areas as No Construction Green Zones under their respective planning laws. The policy allows only essential public infrastructure such as transport facilities, utility pipelines, or green zone projects within the buffer. No private or commercial development will be permitted within this restricted belt.
Beyond this fifteen‑metre zone, the policy permits state authorities to regulate residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional development within a two-kilometre radius on either side of these roads. The aim is to encourage planned urban expansion that leverages transport infrastructure without compromising road safety or efficiency.
This initiative is a part of the ministry’s broader access-controlled ring roads and bypass policy, aimed at decongesting urban areas and protecting new highways from encroachment and unregulated sprawl.
