The Hindu : New Delhi News : “It is imperative to finish projects related to Games on time”

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“It is imperative to finish projects related to Games on time”

Staff Reporter

New Vice-Chairman of DDA spells out his priorities

- Photo: Anu Pushkarna

Making a point: New DDA Vice-Chairman Ashok Kumar Nigam addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: Spelling out his priorities after taking over as the new Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority, Ashok Kumar Nigam on Friday said ensuring timely completion of projects related to the Commonwealth Games-2010 as well as housing for the economically weaker sections would be the two top focus areas during his tenure.

Talking to media persons at the DDA headquarters in Vikas Sadan here, Mr. Nigam said it was imperative that all the projects related to the Commonwealth Games were completed on time and that all the cogs within the system worked together towards their goal.

The Vice-Chairman, however, refused to comment on the fate of the Commonwealth Games Village that is supposed to come up on the flood-plains of Yamuna because the matter is in the court. Environmentalists have been objecting to the Games Village on the ground that it would affect the fragile ecology of the area.

Mr. Nigam added that he would ensure that the other projects, which have not been challenged in the court, were completed on time. A high-power committee would also be constituted to ensure it. “This is to ensure that these projects are under the supervision of officials at the highest level,” said Mr. Nigam.

Conceding that, of late, the DDA has not been able to properly focus on the housing problems for people from the economically weaker sections, Mr. Nigam said it was not a practical thing to construct housing for people in areas far off from their places of work and then expect them to live there. “We will have to find a way to construct clean and affordable housing for people from the economically weaker sections near their work place,” he said.

The newly appointed Vice-Chairman agreed that it is the mismatch between supply and demand that led to misuse of property and unauthorised colonies coming up in the Capital. He hoped that with several agencies, as also the Central and the State Government, taking care of the issue a rational solution for nearly 1,500 such colonies would be found sooner than later.

Speaking about his experience as the Municipal Commissioner (the post he held before being appointed DDA Vice-Chairman), Mr. Nigam said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the DDA were two sides of the same coin.

“I have worked on the implementation side and I think that experience would come in handy here while devising policies for Delhi’s development,” he said.

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