Indian Express   24.08.2010

‘Ready with layout plans, govt delaying nod’

Express News Service Tags : corporation, unauthorised colonies Posted: Tue Aug 24 2010, 02:37 hrs

New Delhi: Unauthorised colonies:MCD says ‘irresponsible’ Delhi govt needs to become sensitive to needs of such colonies

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday said it has been unable to make any headway in passing the layout plans of unauthorised colonies, which were issued provisional regularisation certificates earlier, due to delay on the part of the Delhi government.

Subhash Arya, Leader of MCD House, claimed the agency was prepared to pass the layout plans of these colonies “but it has not been possible to make a headway due to the irresponsible attitude of the Delhi government”.

In a special meeting of the MCD House to discuss the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies, Arya said the Delhi government should become “sensitive” to the needs of the lakhs of residents residing in these colonies and “adopt a legal approach to the solution”.

MCD members said the civic body was in the process of resolving the issue by consulting the Urban Development department, the Delhi government and other agencies. It has received a list of 700 unauthorised colonies to which agencies like the DDA, ASI, and the Forest department have issued a clearance for finalisation and approval of layout plans.

Municipal Commissioner K S Mehra said the civic body was scrutinising these plans at present and after they are finalised, will send them to the Delhi government. The government will in turn submit the list to the Ministry of Urban Development, which is then required to submit it in the Delhi High Court for final approval.

 The list includes unauthorised colonies like Ekta Vihar, Karkardooma Colony, Hari Nagar, Sainik Enclave, Raksha Enclave Extension, Sushant Vihar, Adarsh Nagar near Peepal Thala, Rajouri Garden Extension near Tatarpur, Palam Vihar, Jaitpur Extension, Meethapur, Nehru Enclave, Nangloi, Sant Nagar, Pooth Kalan, Shastri Park Extension, Pandav Nagar, Mohan Garden, Krishna Kunj, Nathu Colony, Nihal Vihar, Kapasheda Extension Block A and Ashok Nagar, among others.

The corporation members further said that these colonies were in dire need of basic civic facilities like roads, regular supply of water and electricity and health and education centres, among others. They said the civic body will forward a request to the Delhi government, asking permission to provide civic facilities in these colonies. “The government must allow the MCD to provide facilities to these colonies and it must allow the councillors to develop such colonies by utilising their respective fund allocations,” said Ved Prakash Gupta, chairperson, Master Plan Implementation Committee, MCD.

The Times of India  20.08.2010

HYDERABAD: After allotting prime land earmarked for a truck terminal at Kukatpally to private firms at a throwaway price by the state government, officials have started scouting again for land for a truck parking yard.

The Ranga Reddy district administration has identified 10 acres of land at Moosapet in Balanagar mandal on the request of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) recently.

Official sources said about 10 acres have been identified at Moosapet and Kukatpally area. While five acres have been suggested for a truck terminal on the premises of the now defunct Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL), another five acres have been demanded at Gulf Oil Corporation at Moosapet.

Interestingly, officials, who gave about 32 acres land to private firms on lease at Kukatpally area, had then claimed that the area was not ideal to have a truck terminal as it is a thickly populated one. Later, it was decided to scout for land at Miyapur area. However, land for the new truck parking yard has been identified in the same area.

"Proposals have been sent to the revenue department for allotment recently. The managements of IDPL and Gulf Oil Corporation have to give consent for the allotment since the land was transferred to them a few decades ago," a senior official of the RR district administration told TOI.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), in view of traffic and need for truck parking yard, had acquired 32 acres from private owners 10 years ago. The location was identified as Kukatpally as it is on the National Highway 9 and also connects National Highway 7.

In 2004, the 32-acre land was denotified as truck terminal as it is located in the heart of the city. The Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department permitted the authority to use the land for some other purpose.

In 2006, the MA&UD allotted 7.1 acres to Metro Cash and Carry on lease for setting up a store at the prime locality.

Later, the MA&UD department issued another GO on August 12, 2008, allotting about 24.33 acres of land, which is part of truck terminal land belonging to HMDA, to DLF Building India for setting up a mega agriculture hub. The decision was taken by the government based on a letter written by the urban development authority.

The land was given on 33 year lease to DLF and the firm would have to pay five per cent of market value as lease rent with annual escalation of five per cent over the previous annual rent.