The Hindu 19.05.2010
MCD begins clearing work for Jama Masjid redevelopment
Staff Reporter
Sign boards depicting the final look after the face-lift to be installed
NEW DELHI: After a long delay of over four years since its conception, the Jama Masjid redevelopment plan seems finally to have taken off with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi beginning “preliminary” work under the first phase around the mosque precinct. This includes clearing up the area and installing sign boards depicting the final look after the facelift
The civic body has also started encroachment removal work for the supplementary plan of decongesting neighbouring areas like Subhas Marg and the area between the Jama Masjid and Parade Ground that was cleared by the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure Planning and Engineering Centre in December last year, according to civic body officials.
The proposal aimed at beautifying and redeveloping the Jama Masjid precinct was cleared by the Delhi Urban Art Commission in May 2009 and by the MCD Standing Committee in September 2009.
While clearing work on the site has finally begun, the civic body accepted last month that the Rs.1,200-crore plan would miss its initial Commonwealth Games deadline.
According to the project consultants roped in by the civic body, lack of will and availability of funds were the main reasons behind the delay though the civic body claimed that it was the process of seeking approval from various civic and heritage bodies for the project that took time.
Among other things, the MCD had initially proposed to build a 60-foot-deep “four-storey basement world heritage centre” with shops, an auditorium, art galleries and studios, a library and a three-tier parking space for at least 4,500 cars, 4,000 two-wheelers and 60 buses as part of the redevelopment project. However, much of the original plan with underground parking space and a heritage mall was done away with as both DUAC and the ASI insisted on minimum intervention in the sensitive zone to preserve its glory.
