Civic body plans shopping complex at maternity centre

Maternity wards need hygienic surrounding, mothers and newly born children are highly prone to infections.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s decided to develop a shopping complex within the Maternity & Child Welfare (M&CW) Centre at Sant Nagar, Rani Bagh, and sell the shops for commercial use to generate revenue has run into opposition.

The current building of the M&CW Centre building, constructed on a 1,783 square metre plot, is in an extremely dilapidated condition, and demands had been raised several times to develop it as a primary urban health care centre.

The North Corporation is now planning to demolish the old building and construct a new one, with space for commercial activities as well.

As per the plan, first floor and half of the ground floor of the new building will be designated for the health care facility. Another half of the ground floor, and second and third floors will be kept aside for commercial outlets like retail shops, offices, guest houses, ATMs, restaurants, coaching centres and pharmaceutical outlets. The minimum reserve price for the commercial space would be ₹24.96 crore.

The proposal has not gone down well with the opposition. “I don’t understand who gave them the idea of developing a local shopping centre along with an M&CW unit. They plan to open shops and maternity wards on the same (ground) floor, which is unacceptable. Maternity wards need a more hygienic surrounding, as mothers and newly born children are highly prone to infections,” said Mukesh Goel, leader of opposition.

According to him, the North Corporation has plenty of open spaces at the premium location. “They can develop shopping complexes at those spaces for revenue generation. The current plan shows poor planning of the civic agency,” Goel said.

Meanwhile, North Corporation officials said they would take up the project after changing the land use of the place and procuring no objection certificates from all the concerned departments, including the health department and the standing committee.

“Guidelines of the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 allows for construction of a local shopping centre to serve a population of 10,000 persons in unauthorised regularised colonies. Rani Bagh falls under this category. Our decision has been taken as per guidelines of the Master Plan,” said a senior official.

Master Plan guidelines allows to build shopping centre to serve population of 10,000 people in regularised colonies. Rani Garh is one.