Sc-appointed panel says resume sealing in Delhi
NEWDELHI:THE Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee has directed civic agencies in Delhi to “immediately” comply with its sealing orders against commercial properties found violating development control norms. It also directed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to act against shops in Connaught Place for violating lease and the Master Plan of Delhi-2021.
THE COMMITTEE DIRECTED VARIOUS AGENCIES TO REMOVE ENCROACHMENT, AND TAKE SEALING ACTION IN MARKETS SUCH AS AMAR COLONY, VIJAY NAGAR, AMONG OTHER AREAS IN THE CITY
nNEW DELHI: The Supreme Courtappointed monitoring committee has directed civic agencies in Delhi to “immediately” comply with its sealing orders against commercial properties found violating development control norms.
It also directed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to act against shops in Connaught Place for violating lease deeds and the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 (MPD2021) provisions.
In a meeting held on February 20, the committee said, “Sealing orders issued by the Monitoring committee…have not yet be complied with probably due to Model Code of Conduct (enforced in January) as well as deployment of officials for conducting Delhi Assembly elections2020….ensure immediate compliance of the sealing orders…”
The committee directed various agencies to remove encroachment, and take sealing action in markets such as Amar Colony, Vijay Nagar, among other areas.
As per the monitoring committee, there are several shops in Connaught Place that have “lowered the floor to create intermediate floors (mezzanines) in violation of original lease deed and provision of the Mpd-2021.however, no punitive action has been initiated against them”.
The committee directed the NDMC to take “punitive action against all such properties and furnish Action Taken Report” within a month. Despite repeated efforts, NDMC chairman and secretary couldn’t be contacted for a comment.
The traders association in Connaught Place said that they have come to know about the monitoring committee’s order and has sought a meeting with
NDMC chairman in this regard. “We have got to know about the monitoring committee’s direction, though we are yet to get any official communication from the NDMC in this regard. We don’t know how many shops are violating the norms. The intermediate floor has been there for a long time. Moreover, we all had submitted a structural safety certificate recent to the NDMC. We will take up the matter with the civic agency,” said Atul Bhargava, president of New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA).
The apex court-appointed committee has also ordered the three civic agencies— North, South and East Delhi—to take action against restaurant and gyms operating at ground floors in properties on mixed land use streets.
In September last year, the committee had issued directions in this regard.
While the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had amended the provisions regarding restaurants, the change in provision in the MPD-2021 for gyms is yet to be notified.
A senior official with the landowning agency, aware of the development said, “The amendments have been approved but couldn’t be notified due to the elections. We have sent it to the ministry for approval. It will be notified soon.”