MCG in need of ₹92.04cr to fix civic amenities in nine colonies

The municipal corporation will issue an order next week to developers about the takeover of the privately developed colonies. After the takeover, it will look after the day-to-day maintenance of civic amenities, said officials in the know of the matter

Prior to the handover, the developers of the nine colonies must either pay ₹92.04 crore to the MCG or attach assets amounting to the same value. VIVEK GILL, superintending engineer, MCG

The RWAs of nine colonies want clarity regarding the ability of the associations to raise bills from residents for providing services. CHAITALI MANDHOTRA, associate convenor, United Gurugram RWAs

GURUGRAM: Prior to taking over nine privately developed colonies--Malibu Towne, Ardee City, Rosewood City, Uppal Southend, Mayfield Garden, Vipul World, Sushant Lok 2, Sushant Lok 3, Greenwood City-- in accordance with the department of town and country planning’s (DTCP) Monday order, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) needs to procure around ₹92.04 crore to fix civic deficiencies and upgrade their infrastructure, according to the detailed project report (DPR) prepared by the civic body.

The DPR, a copy of which HT has seen, said that Mayfield Garden would cost the MCG the most to fix civic deficiencies and set up additional infrastructure--₹16.21 crore--and Uppal Southend would cost the least-₹3.60 crore.

“Prior to the handover, the developers of the nine colonies must either pay ₹92.04 crore to the MCG or attach assets amounting to the same value. Once this is done, we will issue tenders for fixing and upgrading civic infrastructure in these nine colonies at the earliest,” said Vivek Gill, superintending engineer, MCG, who is overseeing the handover.

The DTCP’s order also gave the developers one month’s time until June 9 to transfer the assets or money, adding that the handover must be done by May 24.

“According to the DTCP’s orders, MCG will initiate necessary action regarding the takeover of nine privately developed colonies. All formalities will be completed within the stipulated timeline,” said Gill.

According to a senior MCG official privy to the matter, the MCG will issue an order of its own next week to developers concerned regarding the takeover.

After the takeover, the MCG will look after the day-to-day maintenance of civic amenities such as roads, drains, garbage, horticulture, sewage treatment plants, and water lines, said officials.

They added that in the next two weeks, they will hold a series of meetings with the developers and residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) of the nine colonies to decide and define the various roles of all stakeholders--the MCG, the developer, and RWA-after the takeover.

The DTCP’s order said that the developers can still build community centres, obtain complete or part completion certificates, clear outstanding EDC (external development charges) dues, and develop commercial pockets.

“The RWAs of nine colonies want clarity regarding the ability of the associations to raise bills from residents for providing services such as security, and setting up and managing composting units. We will take up the matter with the MCG,” said Chaitali Mandhotra, associate convenor of United Gurugram RWAs (UGR), an umbrella body of RWAs in the city, and member of Ardee City RWA.

The nine colonies were developed in the early 2000s near major road networks such as Golf Course Extension Road, Vikas Marg, and Sohna Road.

According to residents of the nine colonies, over the past two decades, their colonies are riddled with issues such as internal stormwater lines being much lower than GMDA’s master lines, the absence of peripheral stormwater lines leaving them susceptible to water logging, areas not being connected to sewerage lines, improper garbage collection, drains clogged with silt, potholed-, broken roads, and lack of sewerage treatment plants (STPs) to treat wastewater.

“I shifted to Malibu Towne in 2001. Since then the roads have never been re-carpeted. Only patchwork has been done. Such is the condition that nearly ₹8 crore of the ₹14.70 crore it will cost the MCG to repair infrastructure is needed to fix roads alone. Cars often break down in the colony, several residents have injured themselves, and there is a high level of dust pollution due to the poor condition of roads,” said Alka Dalal, a resident of Malibu Towne.

Last year, three consultants were appointed by the MCG to prepare a DPR on the civic deficiencies in the nine colonies.

Sudakshina Laha, executive member of Sushant Lok 2 and 3 RWA, also highlighted the poor condition of roads in the two colonies and said that only 5% of the roads have been re-carpeted in the two colonies over the last 20 years.

Laha also highlighted issues related to the drainage system in the area.

“A lot of blocks in the two colonies are still not connected to the main sewer line. sThe internal stormwater drains are also at a much lower height than the GMDA’s master line, and in peripheral areas of the two colonies, there are no stormwater lines altogether. Due to these reasons, the colonies are susceptible to water logging throughout the monsoon,” said Laha.