Delhi to reclassify its remaining 48 villages as urban areas

Delhi's administration plans to grant urban status to the final 48 villages, ending the presence of any rural settlements in the national capital. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision will facilitate coordinated planning of infrastructure such as roads, drainage and water supply, and will be enacted via a notification under Section 507(a) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act. So far, 309 of the city's 357 villages have already been urbanised, leaving these 48 to complete the transition.

The move is intended to bring the villages into the Draft Master Plan 2041 and ensure they follow the same legal and administrative rules as other urban areas. Delhi Panchayat Sangh president Than Singh Yadav warned that the reclassification must be accompanied by safeguards for grazing land, playgrounds and village ponds, and urged wider roads and reserved spaces for traditional activities.