The Hindu  08.12.2010

Delhi Metro proposal turned down

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Urban Art Commission has rejected the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's plans to construct a multi-level parking lot and carry out commercial development at Rohini (West) metro station here.

Refusing to give its consent to the proposal, the Commission has pointed out that the land in question at the Rohini Sector 10 station has been reserved in the approved lay-out for an open-air parking plaza and cannot be used for any other purpose.

The proposal was forwarded to the Commission for its approval by the Delhi Development Authority. According to Commission sources, more clarification has been sought from the DDA on the proposal. “It was found that the site in question was part of the approved scheme of Twin District Centre, Rohini, and in the overall plan the plot was indicated as Number 1A1 for DMRC station plaza to be used for services and utilities,” the Commission noted.

Asking the Metro authorities not to begin any construction at the site, the Commission has sought more information about the commercial areas that have been proposed.

The Times of India          08.12.2010

PMC panel backs monorail project

PUNE: The monorail project, which was approved along with the metro rail project amidst major controversies a few months back, but was put on the back burner, is all set to get a major thrust with the Pune Municipal Corporation standing committee chairman, Arvind Shinde, on Tuesday asking the civic administration to invite offers from private firms and also seek details from the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority on how the project can be carried out in Pune.

While the build, operate and transfer committee of the PMC has already approved the monorail project, the PMC had not invited any tenders for the project. Standing committee members on Tuesday asked why the civic administration had not taken any action on the proposal. The members urged the corporation to undertake the project on design, build, operate and transfer basis. Corporator Ujjwal Keskar, however, said the PMC should not carry out the project in a hurry and under pressure from corporators as it would meet the same fate as the metro rail project.

Meanwhile, the standing committee has directed the civic administration to carry out a detailed survey on whether buildings with a height of over 15 metres have two staircases. As per the provisions in the development control rules, buildings having a height of more than 15 metres, must have two staircases for safety reasons. However, the norm has been violated in many cases, especially residential buildings.

The committee also discussed the issue of giving Rs 45 lakh to the Pune International Marathon event and the demand made by citizen groups that the entire expenditure details of the last five years be made public. While Shinde said that the details had been submitted to the PMC, civic officials said they have so far released only the prize money of Rs 22 lakh. The remaining amount of Rs 23 lakh has not yet been released, they added.