The Indian Express               31.12.2013

NDMC inaugurates redeveloped CP

The redevelopment of Connaught Place — the New Delhi Municipal
Council’s most ambitious project — seems to have become a low-key affair
as the council reportedly did not ask invitees to attend the
inauguration. Those invited included Council members and other
dignitaries.

However, Urban Development Minister Manish Sisodia inaugurated
the project and singer Kailash Kher performed during the function held
in Central Park, Connaught Place. Officials said Delhi CM Arvind
Kejriwal was to inaugurate the project, but could not attend due to
illness.

Sisodia congratulated officials involved in the redevelopment of
Connaught Place. “The project has been completed after delays, but I am
happy with the outcome,” he said.

While officials maintained that the ceremony was for the CP
redevelopment project, the invites mention only the NDMC’s centenary
celebration and the Connaught Place festival, which began on December
23.

Officials also said the omission was deliberate, citing some incomplete tasks in the redevelopment project.

The Council meeting that was scheduled for December 31 has been
postponed as the CM is unwell. “In the first meeting, the new members
both from AAP, including the CM, will take oath of membership. The
council meeting will be an important one as the new CM will define how
the policies will work in NDMC,” the official said.

In 1913, Imperial Delhi Committee was constituted that gave way
to Raisina Municipal Committee in 1916. In 1932, New Delhi Municipal
Committee was formed and in 1994, the present day Council was formed.

The Council had delegated the task of re-launch of CP
redevelopment project to New Delhi Traders’ Association, which sent
invites to Sisodia.

NDMC plans a wi-fi enabled Central Delhi

Everyone in Central Delhi area — administered by NDMC — will soon
be able to avail of a hi-speed, stable internet connection with the
municipal body promising to bring the 42.7 square kilometres area under a
single wi-fi connection.

The project will be undertaken on a pilot basis at Satya Marg and
Madhu Limaye Marg. It will be expanded to whole area eventually.

To this effect, the New Delhi Municipal Council will be issuing
tenders for bidding by an ‘experienced’ vendor with technology in fields
of 2G, 3G or 4G. Officials said the date of submission of the documents
is January 17, 2014.

According to the council’s director of projects, O P Mishra, the
step will make the NDMC one of Delhi’s most forward-looking civic bodies
in terms of technology.

“New Delhi has been identified as the leader in e-governance in a
recent study conducted by the government. We want to increase the ease
with which people communicate with the rest of the world, and share
availability of information on business and tourism. The project will
put NDMC on the world map prominently,” Mishra said.

Prominent areas in Central Delhi that fall under the 42.7 sqkm
administered by NDMC include Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister’s Office
and residence, offices of the Central government, foreign missions and
residences of ministers and diplomats. The area also included the
private residences of influential people in the country.

However, the Council has put up a condition in the tenders where
the vendor has to secure the approval of sensitive ministries and
offices to enable its wi-fi. “We have said whosoever will become a
vendor will have to obtain a no-objection certificate for enabling its
services in the area,” an official said.

The official said NDMC will, in return, provide space to the
vendor to put its towers and kiosks that will make available a secure
internet connection for those who would want to use it. “We have asked
them (the vendors) to keep the prices lower than the prevailing rates.
More importantly, the entire NDMC area will be made a wi-fi zone, where
internet access will not be a problem for those who want to use it ,”
the official said.