The Times of India 22.02.2013
NDMC considers scrapping KG Marg multilevel parking
NEW DELHI: With the
Kasturba Gandhi Marg multilevel parking project stuck with the National
Monument Authority for nearly one-and-half-years, the New Delhi
Municipal Council is deliberating over scrapping the project. According
to sources in the NDMC, if the project is not given approval from the
heritage body, then the process to scrap it would be initiated. The
project will be tabled in NMA’s February 22 meet.
“We have been
awaiting clearance from the heritage authority for the past three
years. In February 2010, we had applied to ASI but after the formation
of NMA, the matter was referred to it. If NMA doesn’t give approval
soon, we will have no other option but to scrap it. At least, we should
provide surface parking to people,” said a source.
NDMC
officials say that people are facing a serious parking problem in the
area as the site, which has over 300 offices, has been dug up. Earlier,
NDMC used to run a surface parking at the site which had space for over
700 cars. “The project has been on hold for a long time now. This
parking site was proposed in the Master Plan of Delhi-2021. NDMC and the
private concessionaire have incorporated all the suggestion made by NMA
and ASI. Despite being a public project, it is taking so long to get
permission,” said a senior official.
In September 2012, NMA
had asked the private concessionaire and NDMC to commission a heritage
impact assessment report due to the site’s proximity to the13th-century
Agrasen ki Baoli, and recommended Intach Delhi Chapter for the task. The
private concessionaire — DS Construction
— is hopeful that the project will get a go-ahead from the NMA. “We are
keen to progress on this project as the automated parking lot would be
extremely beneficial to the people commuting to Connaught Place. We
believe an independent body has done an impact assessment study of the
site and presented its report to the NMA. The authority is expected to
take a decision shortly. We are hopeful that we can start soon,” said a
spokesperson, DS Construction.
The NDMC had awarded the
contract to DS Construction in December 2007. The project was to be
completed by 2010. NDMC officials say the private concessionaire has to
pay a license fee of Rs 1 crore a year — increasing 5% each year
thereafter — from this financial year.
Kasturba Gandhi Marg multilevel parking project stuck with the National
Monument Authority for nearly one-and-half-years, the New Delhi
Municipal Council is deliberating over scrapping the project. According
to sources in the NDMC, if the project is not given approval from the
heritage body, then the process to scrap it would be initiated. The
project will be tabled in NMA’s February 22 meet.
“We have been
awaiting clearance from the heritage authority for the past three
years. In February 2010, we had applied to ASI but after the formation
of NMA, the matter was referred to it. If NMA doesn’t give approval
soon, we will have no other option but to scrap it. At least, we should
provide surface parking to people,” said a source.
NDMC
officials say that people are facing a serious parking problem in the
area as the site, which has over 300 offices, has been dug up. Earlier,
NDMC used to run a surface parking at the site which had space for over
700 cars. “The project has been on hold for a long time now. This
parking site was proposed in the Master Plan of Delhi-2021. NDMC and the
private concessionaire have incorporated all the suggestion made by NMA
and ASI. Despite being a public project, it is taking so long to get
permission,” said a senior official.
In September 2012, NMA
had asked the private concessionaire and NDMC to commission a heritage
impact assessment report due to the site’s proximity to the13th-century
Agrasen ki Baoli, and recommended Intach Delhi Chapter for the task. The
private concessionaire — DS Construction
— is hopeful that the project will get a go-ahead from the NMA. “We are
keen to progress on this project as the automated parking lot would be
extremely beneficial to the people commuting to Connaught Place. We
believe an independent body has done an impact assessment study of the
site and presented its report to the NMA. The authority is expected to
take a decision shortly. We are hopeful that we can start soon,” said a
spokesperson, DS Construction.
The NDMC had awarded the
contract to DS Construction in December 2007. The project was to be
completed by 2010. NDMC officials say the private concessionaire has to
pay a license fee of Rs 1 crore a year — increasing 5% each year
thereafter — from this financial year.