The Times of India       09.12.2010

Depot: DDA gets time

 NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Wednesday granted four weeks more to DDA to file its reply on a PIL seeking action against the alleged violation of the Master Plan 2021 for construction of the world's largest bus depot in the Yamuna River Zone.

The bus depot that provided parking space to 1,000 buses and cars during the Commonwealth Games came under judicial scrutiny after a petition was filed by an environmentalist, Vinod Jain, who alleged that the construction of the depot near Nizamuddin Bridge would cause environmental disaster as the depot is located on the active flood plain and water-recharging area.

In the last hearing, the court had issued a notice to the NCT government and DDA seeking their responses for alleged violation of law. On Wednesday, DDA again sought some more time to file its response. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan posted the case for further hearing to March 9, while granting more time to DDA to file its response. The petition had stated that the authorities have ignored the provisions of the Master plan and Zonal plan by allowing the construction which would jeopardize the efforts for rejuvenation of the river Yamuna and its flood plains. "River Yamuna has been placed in Zone `O' considered as eco-sensitive. Even the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has identified the entire area as potential acquifer for the management of ground water resources. Construction of the depot is not environment regenerating,'' the petitioner said.

The depot measuring 390 hectares has five workshop-cum-bus scanning centres, seven dormitories for Delhi Transport Corporation ( DTC) officers, night stay for 500 persons, eight washing pits, four underground tanks for washing buses and two CNG filling stations. The depot was constructed within a very short period at a cost of Rs 61 crore.