AAP, BJP spar over Delhi civic body move to lease out heritage property in Mehrauli

The SDMC on Tuesday decided to grant licences to interested parties to use these buildings for commercial activities for a period of 20 years, with the stipulation that the licensee bear the entire expenditure on account of renovation, modifications, maintenance and upkeep of the property for the duration of the licence period

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticised South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (SDMC) policy to lease out heritage properties or buildings which, the municipal corporation claims, have been deteriorating in the absence of repairs and maintenance.

AAP MLA Atishi on Wednesday alleged that BJP-led SDMC is “selling historic buildings of Delhi to the private mafia”. She said that the Delhi government can take care of all these buildings. (HT Archive)

As part of the plan, SDMC decided to lease out one such 280sqm property located in Mehrauli area.

AAP MLA Atishi on Wednesday alleged that BJP-led SDMC is “selling historic buildings of Delhi to the private mafia”. She said that the Delhi government can take care of all these buildings.

SDMC mayor Mukesh Suryan said that there is a house tax office in the Mehrauli municipal property. “AAP is lying to the people of Delhi by saying that we are selling the property. The said property is being rented out. It is being done through a transparent process of open tendering. There is no question of corruption or selling these properties. It has become a daily habit of AAP to make one baseless allegation and to move on the next allegation. Our house tax office is running from this property and there is no harm if we rent it out for generating more revenue for corporation,” he added.

Atishi said, “If the BJP-led MCD cannot care for the heritage and legacy of Delhi then they should hand it over to the Delhi government. The government will not just take care of all the historical buildings but will also increase tourism in Delhi. The corporations want to sell all the properties of MCD before the April elections.”

Prem Chauhan, leader of the Opposition from AAP in SDMC, said that the project is a scandal larger than corruption as it involves selling the history of Delhi.

MLA Atishi said that the auction of this heritage building is now on the agenda of the South MCD standing committee.

“BJP has now decided to sell every MCD property, asset, and the heritage of our city before April,” she added.

The SDMC on Tuesday decided to grant licences to interested parties to use these buildings for commercial activities for a period of 20 years, with the stipulation that the licensee bear the entire expenditure on account of renovation, modifications, maintenance and upkeep of the property for the duration of the licence period, officials in the know of the matter said.

This is the first time that the SDMC is exploring the possibility of auctioning these heritage properties and buildings -- some of which are as old as 400 years -- to private parties for upkeep and maintenance.

A senior official of the heritage conservation committee said the SDMC has a total of 475 heritage properties under its control, of which some are as old as 400 years. “Some important sites include the 250-year-old Hauz e Shamsi (water reservoir), 100-year-old house tax building, 150-year-old St Thomas Church and 350-year-old malaria office near Lodi mosque in Mehrauli. Besides these, the Dilli Darwaja of Najafgarh, Purana Darwaja of Badarpur, Shroff hospital and Zeenat-ul Masjid in Daryaganj and the Hauz Khas pond in the Deer Park are more than 100 years old,” he said, asking not to be named.