The Hindu : New Delhi News : Confusion over commercial areas, RWAs tell L-G

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Monday, Jun 04, 2007
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New Delhi

Confusion over commercial areas, RWAs tell L-G

Staff Reporter

"Traders uncertain about what is legal and what is not"

NEW DELHI: Representatives of the two main bodies of residents' welfare associations, United RWAs Joint Action (URJA) and New Delhi People's Alliance (NDPA), met Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna this past week and expressed concern over the confusion prevailing among traders on areas being declared commercial in the Capital.

The representatives also sought support from the Lieutenant-Governor for formation of resident ward committees (RWCs).

D. M. Narang of URJA from Central Delhi pointed out during the meeting that the traders were confused about what was legal and what was not due to court orders, notification of Master Plan for Delhi-2021 and orders of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi as well as those issued by the Union Urban Development Ministry. Consequently "inspector raj" is back and everyone was again at the mercy of corrupt MCD officials, pointed out another URJA member Atul Goyal.

The attention of Mr. Khanna was also drawn to the stringent rules of the Delhi Development Authority in its colonies that was giving way to growing illegality. Two members pointed out that the DDA shopping complexes had become defunct at many places and, instead, shops were being opened in houses in areas like North Delhi and Dwarka. According to URJA, the Lieutenant-Governor was supportive of the idea of RWCs in each ward as a local consultative group. He also emphasised the need for creating a Delhi Urban Regulatory Authority. This was supported by URJA and NDPA. They also suggested that till the DURA came into being, the MPD-2021 should be kept in abeyance.

Alpana Kishore of NDPA also told the Lieutenant-Governor that overhead construction of the Metro rail in South Delhi was being planned without giving a thought for the Capital's urban planning requirements.

Urban planner Kuldip Singh of NDPA said the MPD-2021 was opening the floodgates for "induced commercialisation" and that the city would never be able to recover from the onslaught if the Plan was implemented.

Sanjay Kaul of People's Action also requested Mr. Khanna for allocating a plan for rehabilitation of all those traders, consultants and professionals who were affected by sealing and said his organisation would soon bring about a proposal before him in this regard.

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