Here is some more on matters mentioned in the comment posted by a young
Architect/designer on
http://www.architexturez.net/+/e/000106.shtml
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Institutional land allotment scam:
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On Independence Day, Indian Express 'exposed' (on the heels of the Petrol
Pump Scam) how 'Bharatiya Janata's Property is prime pickings for Parivar'
<
http://www.indian-express.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=7691#more>.
Three days later Vir Sanghvi succinctly summarised in his column in
Hindustan Times the defence of Petrol pumpers and land grabbers
<
http://www.hindustantimes.com/2002/Aug/18/printedition/180802/detFEA19.shtml>,
as "Everybody does it, yaar." Within a week DDA had put up on its website
a validated list of institutional properties allotted by DDA
<
http://www.ddadelhi.com/InstEstb.html>. Later the numbers were crunched
and the scale estimated to be 500 hectares. (I?ve asked for that).
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Temples along the Yamuna:
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On 6 February 2003 the Akshardham temple was inaugurated
<
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=43083> by Home
Minister, accompanied by Gujrat Chief Minister. On 6 September 2002 Indian
Express front page anchor
<
http://www.indian-express.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=8944>,
sub-titled 'DDA changes master plan, allots land to Swaminarayan sect, L-G
says it's landmark for north India', had said DDA has 'allotted 58 acres
in the floodplains of the Yamuna river for a temple of the influential
Swaminarayan sect. The allotment has been done in two phases. In the
first, in September 1999, the DDA changed the master plan to show the land
as 'public and semi-public' from its initial classification as
'agricultural and water body'. And allotted 30 acres at the institutional
rate of Rs 77 lakh per acre. The DDA even built a bund along the river to
prevent flooding. The master-plan was changed despite objections by the
Delhi Urban Arts Commission way back in 1997 when the project was first
referred to them. The commission clearly said that a change in land-use
could adversely affect the ecology of the watershed and the underground
acquifer. But the DDA went further. Although its amended master plan
specifices that any socio-religious organisation can't get more than a
maximum of 15 hectares (approximately 40 acres), the DDA in January this
year allotted another 28 acres to the trust-ostensibly for a parking lot
and an additional religious and temple complex...".
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Astha Kunj:
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Astha Kunj made news, mainly on account of massive traffic disruptions and
shops and offices in the area having been shut down for security reasons,
when the Prime Minister laid its foundation stone
<
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/02/02/stories/2003020203900100.htm>
on 1st February. The PM called upon DDA to complete the 40 crores project
in two and a half years instead of three and DDA vice-chairman promised
that the new deadline will be met. Some details of Astha Kunj had came
into public domain in August 2002, with a news report about projects
proposed by DDA's landscape or horticulture department. The design
competition was already done and the professional discourse, if any, on
the changing of a secular district park to a spiritual garden was not made
public. Following the news report of August 2002 a citizen did write to
DDA chairman an open letter to raise certain issues about faith and space.
(I?ve asked for the letter to be posted here).
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SPA and Astha Kunj:
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In September 2002 a news report 'All green, no saffron: DDA park goes
spiritual' <
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=29652>
quoted SPA professors and other professionals on Astha Kunj.
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On the metro police station matter, on which this comment was posted, the
Lieutenant Governor inaugurated it on 24.02.03. I have not come across any
print media report on the matter of the building being illegal, etc. A TV
channel carried a report on 25.02.03, but was unable to get any official
to comment. I have written again to MoUD to raise questions about
sidelining Public Notice process, the only truly democratic mechanism of
participation, at a time when the Public Notice on the Plan 2021 is
expected any time.
Gita Dewan Verma / Planner / 26.02.03