The question behind Delhi Master Plan for 2047: Who can afford to stay?

Delhi's Master Plan for 2047 aims to transform the capital into a globally competitive city through housing, transit-oriented development, economic corridors and expanded infrastructure. However, the underlying question is who will have access to the benefits of this development. Planning decisions determine who receives housing, employment opportunities and public spaces, who profits from rising land values and who faces the costs of development.

At the 2023 G20 Summit, the disparity between Delhi's informal economy and its desire for a cleaner, more planned city became evident when roadside vendors were removed and informal settlements were hidden. Informal workers, including street vendors, construction workers, domestic workers and delivery riders, are vital to the city's functioning but often marginalized.

Gig workers, in particular, require amenities like safe parking, toilets, and affordable housing near employment centers, which conventional planning often overlooks. Housing costs in peripheral locations, along with informal housing near employment centers, highlight the limitations of a numbers-based approach. Caste and occupation continue to influence access to housing, land and public services.

Women's inclusion cannot be achieved merely by providing toilets or childcare; the location of affordable housing impacts commuting, unpaid care work and access to employment. Disabilities require comprehensive planning, from ramps to accessible public transport. Rehabilitation should protect livelihoods and not just move residents to distant housing.

The real challenge for Delhi 2047 is not simply whether the capital becomes richer, taller or more connected, but whether the people who keep the city functioning—those who build, clean, deliver, drive and sustain it—can still afford to live in its future.