Regularisation moves in Delhi are made by complete consensus. The only
political opposition, if it comes, comes from Jagmohan, and only because
he has his own idea of plan for the city, which he said the proposal for
regularisation of industries in residential areas was killing...
News reports of 04 February 2003
(More on 'Regularising' industries in Delhi at
http://www.architexturez.net/+/e/000117.shtml)
Express Newsline
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=42773
MY BLUEPRINT FOR DELHI KILLED
Prarthna Gahilote
New Delhi, February 3: ON a day when Union Minister for Urban Development
and Poverty Alleviation Ananth Kumar and Delhi BJP Delhi chief Madan Lal
Khurana joined hands to declare the regularisation of industries in 24
residential areas, Kumar's predecessor Jagmohan called it the killing of
his 'blue-print' for the city.
Blaming ''urban poiltics'' for the changes in the policies adopted by the
Urban Development Ministry, Jagmohan said he had prepared a blue print for
the city that would have helped it ''emerge as a neat, clean orderly and
organised city.''
''I had attempted strict enforcement of municipal by-laws, zoning and
planning regulations, a sustained drive against encroachments and action
against illegal and land and building mafia,'' Jagmohan said.
He further added: ''I had also advocated action to secure closure of
illegal and polluting industries and the removal of slums and squatters
from unhygienic and diseased-ridden sites and resettlement of the
inhabitants in planned and well-organised colonies with basic civic
amenities.''
''The entire blue-print was executed with speed, precision and firmness.
Soon, spectacular results were seen. Urban politics, too, was put on a
healthy trajectory. But all this could not last long,'' Jagmohan lamented.
''My attempt, overall, did not succeed. In fact, it could not, '' he said.
He further asked: ''The aperture of our mind's eye has become so narrow
that we are not even seeing the contradictions in what we are doing. Does
it make sense to become part of a highly competitive globalised economy
and simultaneously create conditions which cripple productivity?''
He added: ''Is it rational to spend huge amounts on metalling roads and
then allowing a good portion to be occupied by stray cattle and
encroachers? The central issue is not of doings or misdoings of
individuals or political parties but of the base from which their
motivation springs.''
Hindustan Times
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/040203/detCIT05.shtml
MY PLANS FOR DELHI UNFULFILLED
HT Correspondent
(New Delhi, February 3) Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan on Monday
rued that he was not allowed to realise his vision for making Delhi a
neat, orderly and well-organised city.
At the R.N. Malhotra memorial lecture at India International Centre on
Monday, he said during his tenure as the Urban Development Minister, he
had drawn up a blue-print of reforms and re-organisation through strict
enforcement of municipal bye-laws, zoning and planning regulations. This
goal was to be achieved through sustained drive against encroachments,
illegal constructions and land and builders mafia, action for closure of
polluting industries and removal of slums, he said.
The minister sought to highlight the newly sprung parks at Minto Road,
Andrews Ganj and other areas where slums earlier existed to strengthen his
claim. "Delhi began to emerge as a clean, neat and orderly city with a
distinct personality of its own. The three major problems of urban
poverty, pollution and low productivity began to be tackled in right
earnest and urban politics too was put on a healthy trajectory," the
Tourism Minister said while illustrating his point with the help of
slides.
However, he was unhappy that even after 55 years of independence the
country has not been able to rejuvenate its cultural roots.
India cannot be a part of the highly competitive global economy when
conditions aren't feasible for productivity of cities. He said it made
little sense to spend money on carpeting of roads when cattle and
encroachers damage them