The Hindu : `Park leased out as per Supreme Court order'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 02, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Park leased out as per Supreme Court order'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, APRIL 1 .The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has submitted in the Delhi High Court that the park in Gujranwala Town-B in North-West Delhi is being leased out for organising marriages and other functions to residents of the colony for 10 days in a month as per an order of the Supreme Court.

The Corporation stated that on the request of the residents, the area MLA and the Councillor, now half of the park area was being used for these functions while the other half was open to the public.

Counsel for the local body made these submissions in reply to a petition by the Resident Welfare Association of Gujranwala Town-B, accusing the local body of changing the use of the park for organising marriage ceremonies and other functions.

The Gujranwala Co-operative House Building Society had purchased from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) a plot of 3.14 acres in Gujranwala Town for building houses under the self-financing scheme in 1970, the petition said.

The local body took over the colony in 1983 after collecting development charges, including horticulture charges, to provide park, greeneries and other civic amenities, the petition said.

However, the Corporation had been violating the revised layout plan of the DDA and the Master Plan and allowing the misuse of the park for a consideration, counsel for the petitioner, Ravinder Raj, submitted.

Following several representations by residents of the colony, the Corporation had issued an order banning the commercial use of the park and developing it as an ornamental one, the petition said.

However, the civic body immediately withdrew the order, Mr. Raj alleged.

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