Gyms not located in malls, DDA commercial plots may face sealing as SC panel cites rules
NEWDELHI: All fitness centres in Delhi – including those for gyms, yoga and meditation – which opened up after August 12, 2008, in areas outside malls and commercial plots owned by the Delhi Development Authority face the prospect of sealing after a Supreme Courtappointed monitoring committee brought out an order to this effect on Tuesday.
The order dated September 24 says that commissioners of the three municipal corporations of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) chairperson and DDA’S vice chairman will have to “seal the offending properties by October 18 and forward a report regarding the same to the monitoring committee by October 22.”
A senior north corporation official said: “We have received the order but will decide on course of action after going through it carefully.”
Senior municipal officials said the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 did not allow fitness centres like gymnasiums, yoga and meditation centres inside residential colonies. However, a modification in the MPD dated 13 May, 2013 declared them legal till the cut-off date of August 12, 2008, provided they had a ‘Right of Way’ (abutting road) of a certain width depending on the category of area they were located in.
The Rights of Way for such facilities were specified for rehabilitation colonies, Special Areas, the Walled City and urban villages as well.
“However, this order was issued Tuesday, after the monitoring committee took note of the fact that many of these centres mushroomed after the cutoff date,” an officer said. The centres, which face the prospect of sealing, number in the thousands across Delhi, he said. The ones spared would be in shopping malls and “plots declared commercial by zonal development plans in the MPD,” he added.
Another municipal official, who did not wish to be named, said probably more modifications would be required in the MPD considering gyms have become very popular among Delhiites and many prefer them to be inside their residential colonies for easy access.
An east body official said the corporations had been issuing licences to fitness centres on “commercial roads” and “mixed land-use roads” and charging fee for it.
“We received the order today and will consult the DDA and our town planning and building departments on this,” the official said.
In another order issued by the monitoring committee Friday, the civic bodies have been asked to “remove all pandals in motels.” These are generally put up for wedding and party purposes. “In case pandals have already been removed, even then penalty is to be charged,” the order said.