Urban Development

Slow pace of Chandni Chowk redevelopment worries MCD panel

Tuesday, 29 December 2009 10:42 administrator

Indian Express 29.12.2009

Slow pace of Chandni Chowk redevelopment worries MCD panel

Eight years since the plan was tabled, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is yet to make any progress in the ambitious Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Project.

While the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) granted its preliminary conceptual approval to the project in October, the MCD Standing Committee is now worried that the civic body might miss the June 2010 deadline.

The Standing Committee has now decided to hold a short-notice meeting with the concerned officials on Wednesday, seeking a detailed status report on the project.

According to MCD Standing Committee Chairperson Ram Krishan Singhal, while the Corporation’s city zone officials, who are directly in-charge of the project, have hired consultants and drawn up a blueprint, they have failed to do any work so far.

“They have been hiring consultants for each and every part of the redevelopment project. While many areas in the Walled City have been dug up in the name of redevelopment, no work is visible as yet,” Singhal said.

“The year has come to an end and I am not sure how will all the work be completed in just six months,” he added. “The two most essential parts of the redevelopment project are the traffic decongestion plan and the proposal to restore all heritage structures in the Walled City,” he said.

On the other hand, the MCD city zone officials claim that while they have overcome all the initial delays, work has already begun on the Old City traffic decongestion plan. But according to the city zone officials a new problem has arisen — the former deputy commissioner, city zone, has been transferred and considering the lack of time, the work has been transferred to MCD’s project division. Thus, the city zone that had done all the preliminary work and finalised the blueprint is no longer directly involved.

The plan, initiated in 2004, emphasises on decongesting the current traffic chaos and increasing pedestrian walking space by restricting vehicular traffic. Besides, the roads in Old Delhi have to be widened, including the existing 3.5 metre lanes.

Officials of the project division said that now after the DUAC approval, the tendering process is being finalised.

“To save time, preliminary work like digging has already begun and by next month full fledged work on the traffic plan will begin,” said an official. The city zone was also supposed to carry out a door-to-door survey to identify heritage structures that need restoration. No details of the survey are available.

THE PLAN

* Redevelopment work of Chandni Chowk Road will be carried out from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid

* Footpath will be widened. New public transport including trams will be introduced

* Underground ducts will be created

* Information kiosks will be put up; public toilets will be created, uniform signboard, removal of the present transformers and police posts

*The civic agency will improve street lighting

* All heritage structures in the area will be restored

Last Updated on Tuesday, 29 December 2009 10:45

Urbaninsation takes a toll on villagers

Saturday, 26 December 2009 02:46 administrator

The Hindu 26.12.2009

Urbaninsation takes a toll on villagers

Satyasundar Barik

BHUBANESWAR: Pitambar Nayak, a 54-year-old resident of Gadakana village in Bhubaneswar, which is fast acquiring status of a mini-metro, suddenly feels his sphere has been squeezed and he has turned a slum dweller in his own village.

Though a landless, Maku Nayak, an eighty-year old man, had enough space to lead a dignified life in Gadakana village like his fellow villager Pitambar.

Now ever since land prices have skyrocketed in Bhubaneswar and villages have turned posh urban localities, these villagers, who have very limited source of income, have become second-class residents.

Social hierarchy

The major reason they cited for their sudden drop in social hierarchy is disappearance of vast stretches of government land (common property resources) on which these people have been collectively depending for domestic purposes such as grazing land for cattle, playing ground for their children and graveyards.

According to market estimates, one acre of land in villages such as Gadakana, Chandrasekharpur, Patia, Ghatikia and Chakeisiani costs around Rs. 3 crore to Rs. 6 crore.

Under these circumstances government-housing agencies are also eyeing at government lands to cash in on current booms. Although government gets profit out of the deal, dependant villagers on these pieces of land appeared to be the worst suffers, losing their age-old rights.

“We had about 7,000 square feet of land in 1970. With disintegration of family, I have hardly 1,000 square feet of land left in my possession,” said Pitambar Nayak, a father of six children.

According to estimates, as many as 173 villages are situated within limit of Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). Of them 91 come in BDA jurisdiction, eight in East Kuakhai city, nine in Khurda, 13 in Jatni and 50 in new areas.

As per conservative estimate, at least 75 families in a village are either landless or marginal farmers.

Now under pressure urbanisation, these villagers are facing exit from their own villages. About 200 such families on Thursday staged demonstration outside BDA office here demanding immediate halt to acquisition of government land around their villages.

Under the banner of Orissa Adivasi Mahasabha, they demanded original villagers of capital city should be given 10 decimal of homestead land and houses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

“Those who are affected by disappearance of common property resources should be adequately rehabilitated. These people have been living for ages. They should be made stakeholder in the development,” said Saal Mandi president of Orissa Adivasi Mahasabha.

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2009 02:48

Seminar on urban development

Tuesday, 22 December 2009 11:03 administrator

The New Indian Express 22.12.2009

Seminar on urban development

Express News Service

BANGALORE: A seminar organised by the office of the Advisor to Chief Minister (Urban Affairs), on Monday discussed the issue of land reconstruction with a focus on developing "an area not just a road." The BDA Town Planning Member SS Topagi, drew-up arguments against the Land Acquisition practice for road widening.

He said it not only displaced people but also left the citizens at a loss as the offered Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) was unmarketable.

The Land Reconstruction has successfully been implemented in Gujarat.

The seminar, attended by officials from BDA,BBMP and BMRCL, sought to explore a consolidated approach to town planning.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 December 2009 11:06

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