The Hindu : New Delhi News : DMRC employees prevented from taking possession of land

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 05, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

DMRC employees prevented from taking possession of land

Staff Reporter

Appu Ghar authorities describe the move "illegal''

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation employees were prevented from taking over physical possession of a 6,200 square metre plot -- required for construction of a ramp from Pragati Maidan to the Metro station -- by the Appu Ghar authorities on Tuesday morning. While DMRC has now sought additional police force for taking over possession of the land, Appu Ghar has described the move as "illegal'' and warned of legal action.

Trouble

Trouble started around 9-30 a.m. when the Delhi Metro staff went to the site to take possession of the land, which had been allotted to it by the Land and Development Office on May 26, 2006.

The move was opposed by Appu Ghar management and employees who claimed that the Metro staff had entered the premises without giving any prior notice and with the intent of taking over possession of land "illegally''.

The Appu Ghar management claimed that over two acres has already been allotted to Delhi Metro and work was currently in progress there.

"In June 2005, two acres was handed over to DMRC after receiving a written notice from India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) for allotment of land for construction of a Metro station.''

Stating that the station has already been build, it said now DMRC needed an additional area of 1.5 acres for building a commercial shopping area and office complexes.

This demand, as per Appu Ghar, for commercial use of land "has not been legally sanctioned''. And it claimed that efforts were thus made by DMRC to forcefully take possession of this land.

Metro workers

Appu Ghar further claimed that in the last week of June also about a score of Metro workers had started barricading Appu Ghar premises and were turned away.

Following the episode, it said a legal notice was served to ITPO and DMRC, along with Urban Development Ministry and SHO Tilak Marg but there was no response.

While Appu Ghar vice-president S.C. Malhotra charged that DMRC's approach in trying to take over possession of land forcefully was an "illegal move'' and will be replied with through a "legal recourse'', the Metro authorities have urged the Delhi police to help them take possession of the land that is now legally theirs.

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