The Pioneer  29.11.2010

Rajesh kumar | New Delhi

The Delhi Government has rejected a proposal of permitting new educational institutes to run courses from provisionally regularised colonies and lal dora areas in the national Capital if these don’t conform to the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021.

The document available with The Pioneer clearly stated that no institution of higher education could come up in Delhi, if these do not conform to the MPD 2021. MLAs from both the Congress and BJP have been demanding that new institutions should be allowed in unauthorised colonies and rural areas, especially lal dora. MLAs have been raising the issue in the Assembly for the past several years. “The utilisation of land in unauthorised colonies, provisionally regularised colonies, and eligible for regularisation is required to fulfill the regulations as per the provisions of the Master Plan and Zonal Plan. Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Delhi Government may follow the policy framed by the Ministry of Urban Develop-ment. The institutions would also necessarily have to follow the procedure laid down by the DDA. Only thereafter the Delhi Government will be in a position to issue no objection certificate to such institutions,” it said.

The document further stated that institutions existing prior to January 1, 2006 and still functioning and to whom the affiliation has been granted by Guru Govind Singh IP University and are covered by the Cabinet decision dated June 21, 2010, will be allowed to continue till the finalisation of the MPD 2010.

Sources in the Government said that this was disclosed in a note moved by the Department of Higher Education seeking clarification regarding permitting new institutes to run courses from lal dora and extended lal dora.

Congress MLA Balram Tanwar from Chhatarpur told The Pioneer that there is an urgent need to allow new educational institutes in Delhi dehat areas and unauthorised colonies. “I am demanding this for last several years. Those living in dehat areas are in pathetic state, having no colleges. If the Government is not in a position to open new institutes or colleges, they should allow opening of new educational institutes in dehat areas,” Tanwar demanded. He had raised the issue in the Assembly’s Budget Session this year. He had taken up the issue with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on several occasions.

There are 1,639 unauthorised colonies while 770 are regularised unauthorised colonies. Beside this, there are 362 villages in Delhi out of which 135 are currently classified as urban villages and 227 as rural villages.

The Times of India            24.11.2010

Jawaharnagar to get special focus for development

HYDERABAD: Giving emphasis on development, a special regional master plan has been prepared exclusively for Jawaharnagar area by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). The plan, prepared by Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept), was submitted to the urban development authority recently. The report would be scrutinised by planning officials and placed before the HMDA board for approval. Ironically, the plan was submitted by CEPT a month ago, but the report got gutted in a fire accident at HMDA's Outer Ring Road office in Tarnaka. The CEPT was then requested to provide another copy of the report.

Jawaharnagar covers about 15,000 acres and Bits-Pilani, Hyderabad campus, Bio-Tech Park, Meditech Valley are all located here. Sources said the entire area would be divided into commercial-cum-IT zone, financial district, residential, multiple-use zone and recreational zone. Bio-tech offices zone would also be part of the master plan.

According to officials, the master plan covers 12 villages around Jawaharnagar and might impact a population of 10 lakh spread over 15,000 acres. The HMDA wants to develop the area by preparing a special regional master plan on the lines of Cyberabad Development Authority (CDA) and Hyderabad Airport Development Authority (Hada), which were later merged in the Authority.

The state government owns nearly 2,000 acres in the area, including the GHMC dump yard, but some portion of it is under dispute or has been encroached upon. Secretariat employees have been given 600 acres land in Jawaharnagar.

Sources said the plan would throw light on the overall development of the area and also promote `walk to work' concept, where office spaces and residential areas are located close by. Like other master plans, special provisions for land development, metro rail, transferable development rights (TDR), where the land owner can make use of the benefits of extra built up area anywhere in the city if he loses land for roads, are part of the master plan. "All measures will be taken to protect environment and conservation of lakes. No hazardous industries will be allowed in the area," a senior HMDA official said.