Nod to seek funds for Old Delhi plan

The Centre provides monetary help for such projects. Hence, in a recently held meeting chaired by PWD minister Satyendar Jain, it was decided by the board that the PPR will be sent to the ministry to consider the project.

The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Project has got a shot in the arm with the Delhi Government approving the preliminary project report (PPR) for seeking funds from the Union Urban Development Ministry under the National Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY).

The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) has also decided to rope in the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to modify and improve the report prepared in 2014.

A senior government official said the project report originally prepared in 2014 to seek financial assistance of Rs 1,840 crore from the Asian Development Board (ADB) will now be sent to the Centre.

On the government’s instruction, the proposal for financial assistance was reduced to Rs 1,460 crore.

“The Centre provides monetary help for such projects. Hence, in a recently held meeting chaired by PWD minister Satyendar Jain, it was decided by the board that the PPR will be sent to the ministry to consider the project,” said Chandni Chowk MLA Alka Lamba, who is also director of SRDC.

The report , prepared by deputy general manager of SRDC Nitin Panigrahi, was given ‘in-principle’ approval by the planning department of the Delhi government and concurred by the Finance Department in January 2015. A presentation was made to then L-G Najeeb Jung. Later, the chief secretary approved the proposal.

In January this year, the Delhi High Court asked the government to review its report to seeek the R1,460 crore funding, which has been awaiting the government’s nod for two years.

“As the SRDC chairman, Jain wants experts to be engaged. SPA and INTACH would be involved in the project,” said an official.