NEW DELHI: In a significant development, Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken has been entrusted with the task of preparing a "comprehensive blueprint'' on various issues facing Delhi including sealing of commercial establishments in residential areas, regularisation of unauthorised colonies, rehabilitation of slum clusters, conferring ownership rights to those living in re-settlement colonies and splitting the Municipal Corporation of Delhi into smaller units.

According to highly placed sources, the decision was taken by Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday. Mr. Singh asked Mr. Reddy to cover all issues facing Delhi.

It is understood that Mr. Reddy took up the matter of entrusting the task to Mr. Maken with the Prime Minister as the former has a first-hand knowledge of the ground realities. "It is with this thinking in mind that the Union Government has approached the Supreme Court to grant six months' time to resolve issues facing Delhi including the present problem of sealing of commercial units in residential areas. This would enable the Government to come out with concrete proposals as by that time the Tejinder Khanna Committee would have submitted its report. This will help the authorities in adopting a comprehensive approach in resolving all issues,'' sources added.

It was also decided that Mr. Maken would personally monitor finalisation of the Master Plan for Delhi-2021 and incorporate whatever changes need to be made in tune with the changing times. Apart from this, Mr. Maken would be working on a formula for regularisation of the unauthorised colonies, something that has been delayed at the Delhi Government's end. Furthermore, he will have to chalk out a plan to address the issue of demolitions and sealing and find out a solution on conferring ownership rights to the residents of resettlement colonies.

It is learnt that Mr. Maken would be playing an important role in the plans being drawn up by the Union Government to confer more powers on the Delhi Government and the bifurcation of MCD. Although officials were tight-lipped about the kind of powers that would be given to the Delhi Government, it was clear that the Ministry of Home Affairs was not very enthusiastic about handing over law and order to the State Government. It is understood that three meetings have been held on the issue but no agreement has been reached on what could be the best possible deal for Delhi.

It is learnt that Mr. Reddy has been closely following the developments relating to Delhi and is very keen that a solution is found to the satisfaction of one and all.

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