The Hindu       22.12.2014 

DDA to keep tab on frequent visitors to Vikas Sadan

Frequent visitors to the office of the Delhi Development
Authority (DDA) will now be watched and a tab kept on them as a measure
to bring in transparency.

The steps are in keeping
with a recommendation of the Standing Committee on Urban Development.
The committee while examining the functioning of the DDA in its report
tabled in the Lok Sabha noted that despite taking various steps to bring
in transparency in its functioning, the DDA has failed to eliminate the
existence of touts/ agents in its office.

“As
recommended by the committee, frequent inspections will continue to be
carried out by DDA at the reception office to check the frequency of
visiting persons,” the DDA said in its reply.

While
taking a serious view on the issue, the committee said it “strongly
desires that the DDA should strictly ensure compliance of the steps
initiated by it. The committee further desires that CCTV cameras should
be installed in all the rooms of the DDA at the earliest and the records
of the register at the reception office of the DDA should be
periodically monitored in order to see the name of frequently visited
persons so that his/her entry can be out under watch.”

The
committee observed that to reduce the movement of touts in various
branches, the exit/entry points in Vikas Sadan, the office of the DDA
have been reduced from seven to three and file tracking system has been
implemented in the vigilance branch to check delays in handling of files
and presence of outsiders.

It also noted that
installation of CCTV cameras is under process in Vikas Sadan where major
public dealing activities are conducted and directions have been issued
to put on website all rules to increase transparency.

However,
the committee expressed concern that “despite all these systems in
place, the DDA has not been able to eliminate the existence of touts/
agents in its office”.

The DDA in its reply said CCTV
cameras have already been installed all over Vikas Sadan, including
entry and exit points and in all the rooms/ branches dealing with
public, and are being monitored. “The control screen of these CCTV
cameras has also been provided to various heads of departments who could
monitor simultaneously any unwanted happenings which can be avoided,”
the DDA informed.

As regards the records of reception
office, the DDA said the same has been computerised and photo cards are
being issued to visitors to keep a check on touts/ agents.

These
measures have been taken as the Standing Committee on Urban Development
had stated that the DDA had failed to eliminate the existence of touts