Old plans likely in north corp’s budget
OLD WINE, NEW BOTTLE North Delhi Municipal Corporation likely to repeat incomplete, delayed projects in its annual budget tomorrow In the case of Rani Jhansi Flyover, after fighting a lot of court cases and acquiring land, work moved at a fast pace. The lackadaisical attitude of the civic body’s administrative wing was responsible for the delay.
PREETY AGARWAL, Mayor, North Delhi Municipal Corporation
NEW DELHI: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation is all set to present its annual budget on Tuesday, with a number of project announcements made in the last few years likely to be repeated. The financial budget for different projects of the civic agency will be tabled by the north corporation’s commissioner.
Hindustan Times takes a look at some of the projects forgotten and delayed over the years.
SANITATION AND LANDFILL AT BHALSWA
In last year’s budget, improving sanitation conditions and management of the Bhalswa landfill were among the prominent projects. In the budget, the corporation had proposed to place 10,000 litter bins in their area but they have managed to place less than 5,000. The agency had also proposed to buy eight mechanical sweepers, but only four have been purchased .
“By this month, we are going to purchase four more mechanical sweepers,” said an official.
In last year’s budget, Rs 5 crore was allocated for the management and beautification of Bhalswa. Officials said that Rs 1 crore was spent on hiring a consultant to chart out the road map for its beautification but the consultant left within a few months. “We have now invited global tenders,” an official said.
RANI JHANSI FLYOVER
In 2008, the then MCD budget had a proposal to construct the 1.6km flyover, which would ease traffic in central Delhi. It was to be completed in 18 months. In the last 9 years, while the flyover awaits completion, it finds a mention in every budget. MCD officials said at least 82% of the work is complete and they expect to finish work March 2018.
Preety Agarwal, the mayor of north corporation, said that acquiring land and court cases had delayed the project. “In case of Rani Jhansi Flyover, after fighting a lot of court cases and acquiring land, work moved at a fast pace. The lackadaisical attitude of the corporation’s administrative wing was responsible for the delay,” Agarwal said.
In September, after Delhi L-G Anil Baijal visited the construction site, the corporation had announced a deadline to complete the project in November. A north corporation official said that the project is delayed because some shopkeepers on the stretch ,where the flyover is to be built, have managed to get a a stay order against the demolition orders from the Supreme Court.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Facing severe financial crisis, instead of new projects the agency will focus on projects that generate revenue to improve its financial health. The agency is at present running under the deficit of Rs 3,000 crore and has not been able to implement any new project this year. Among the revenue-generating projects is construction of parking projects, auctioning of 22 shops at Asaf Ali parking and other 24 properties in its jurisdiction.