DDA to approve land use change of plot where V-P’s residence is proposed

The land-use of this plot, where the Vice President of India’s residence is proposed under the redevelopment plan, will be changed from transportation (bus terminal/parking) to residential.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is in the process of notifying the land-use change for a 15-acre plot, which is part of Centre’s ambitious Central Vista Redevelopment project.

Another senior DDA official said that a large number of objections were raised regarding the overall project and not specific to the plot. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO (Representative Image))

The land-use of this plot, where the Vice President of India’s residence is proposed under the redevelopment plan, will be changed from transportation (bus terminal/parking) to residential. The land-owning agency held the public meeting in this regard on August 7, which is part of the process.

Two residential plots, each spread over 15 acres, have been marked in the reworked Central Vista plan. While one on Dalhousie Road near South Block is likely to be the Prime Minister’s residence, the Vice President’s house is likely to be on the other side of Rajpath near North Block.

The land-use of the plot, where the Vice President’s residence is proposed under the Centre’s redevelopment plan, was changed by the DDA in February this year. In March, the land-owning agency had invited public suggestions/objections. But the public hearing couldn’t be held due to Coronavirus pandemic.

“We held the public hearing on August 7. A report regarding the public hearing will be tabled in the next authority meeting. Once approved, the proposal will be sent to the ministry of housing and urban affairs for notification,” said a senior DDA official, requesting anonymity.

In December last year, DDA had changed the land-use of this plot to “government office” based on a request made by the Land and Development Office (L&DO), which is under the Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) ministry, along with six other land parcels spread over 86 acres. But the redevelopment plan was later reworked.

Anuj Srivastava, spokesperson of LokPATH (people for Appropriate Transformation of Habitat), a collective of urban development experts and civil society members, said, “The very fact they have changed the plan twice in such a short span shows that it has not been properly planned. The previous changes should not be approved.”