Probable Exam Question 9 : Land Zoning - Development Plan - Colours

What are zoning colours and their meaning?

Here is a closer look at the various zoning colours and what they stand for. You should take a look at these meanings carefully since they will help you understand more about the classification of various zones. They include the following:

Yellow

Light yellow indicates mixed or main residential usage land. Dark yellow means mixed residential usage properties. Essential services including the clinics of doctors and grocery stores are allowed in these zones. Approximately 33 percent of commercial activity is allowed in yellow zones.

Red

This colour specifies semi-public or public usage areas for educational institutions, and temples.

Green

It signifies maintenance of agricultural land or greenery. Green may also be used for demarcating lakes, forests, ponds, valleys, gardens, and parks.

Blue

Dark blue is for indicating zones, which are allocated for retail purposes including hotels, eateries, movie halls and shopping malls. Light blue is used for denoting commercial zones comprising offices and the central business districts or CBDs.

Purple

While dark purple indicates high-tech business sectors, light purple means industrial units and businesses.

Heavy industries are also denoted by the colour grey as well. The zoning practice in India goes by the Euclidean principle, which develops classifications for land usage (commercial, residential, mixed-use, among others.) by the geographic zone. Yet, land usage has considerably evolved over time. Notably, mixed residential zones now permit restaurants, banks, bakeries, cafes, shops and more. Sometimes, commercial land use zones also allow some primary residential developments. These zoning colours are mostly used for classifying the areas in official maps of the authorities. 

(reproduced from 99acres)