Delhi govt moves to recover its two prime properties
NEW DELHI : The Delhi government on Wednesday expedited the process of recovering its two prime properties near the Kashmere Gate and Sarai Kale Khan ISBTS.
The move comes after Hindustan Times on January 20 had reported that the plots could no longer be used for large commercial projects due to lack of coordination between government agencies, resulting in a loss of at least ₹600 crore to the state exchequer.
The two properties — measuring 11,785 square metres near Kashmere Gate ISBT and 11,300 square metres next to Sarai Kale Khan ISBT— were given to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on a temporary basis by the government’s Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DTIDC) for metro construction.
The plots, are together worth an estimated ₹250 crore as per the circle rates.
They were actually set aside for redeveloping the interstate bus terminals, which included constructing two hotels.
But lack of coordination between DTIDC and the DMRC led to the plan to build hotels being shelved because the new metro stations were directly under the plots, making it unsafe to carry out any major construction activity at the ground level.
During Wednesday’s meeting, the DTIDC told the DMRC that it would keep a plot, measuring one acre, owned by the metro corporation, until the issues relating to the two properties were resolved.
“Till the DTIDC is not suitably compensated, it will not return a plot owned by DMRC. The plot DTIDC is keeping is about one acre in size and is located at Mori Gate. It was given to the government by the metro rail corporation on a temporary basis and is currently being used as a local bus stand,” said a DTIDC official.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS) has been asked to calculate the potential loss to DTIDC due to non-utilisation of plots, revenue from a proposed private partnership for the construction of hotels, and cost escalation.
The two agencies are scheduled to meet again after 15 days.