New Delhi:
The proposed new residence of the vice-president of India is likely to come up along Church Road in central Delhi, as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment project. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has changed the land use of a 15-acre plot abutting President’s Estate from transportation (bus terminal/parking) to residential.
The land-owning agency, which approved the change in its meeting on February 10, on Wednesday invited public suggestions/objections regarding it before the change is notified by the Union housing and urban affairs ministry.
In December last year, DDA had changed the land-use of this plot to “government office” based on request made by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), which is under the HUA ministry, along with six other land parcels spread over 86 acres. The changes are yet to be notified.
According to the reworked Central Vista plan, there are two residential plots, each spread over 15 acres. While one on Dalhousie Road near South Block is likely to have the prime minister’s residence, the vice-president’s house is likely to be on the other side of Rajpath near North Block.
“The DDA had received a request to change the land use of this plot to residential. In December, DDA had approved the land use to government office. As per the revised plan, the vice-president of India’s residence is proposed at the location,” said a senior official aware of the development.
{{/usCountry}}“The DDA had received a request to change the land use of this plot to residential. In December, DDA had approved the land use to government office. As per the revised plan, the vice-president of India’s residence is proposed at the location,” said a senior official aware of the development.
{{/usCountry}}The land-use change of 101 acres of land in the area is yet to be notified. “DDA approved the land-use change of seven land parcels, including the recent change proposed by L&DO. But the land use is not changed in the master plan of Delhi-2021 till it is notified by the ministry,” the official said.
Urban development experts say the recent development shows the lack of planning on the Centre’s part and how they are trying to hurriedly push this project.
Anuj Srivastava, spokesperson of LokPATH (people for Appropriate Transformation of Habitat), a collective of urban development experts and civic society members, said, “We have been saying it from the start that this project is ill-conceived. The government has haphazardly planned it and is now making ad hoc changes. Why are they rushing through the project of this scale and importance?”
This will now be put in the public domain for suggestions/objections and later notified by the HUA ministry. “The land-use changes approved by DDA will be in public domain for a period of 30 days. In case, we get some objections then a Board of Inquiry will be constituted. The final notifications will be published by the ministry,” said a senior DDA official.
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