Delhi: Residents demand sports complex on vacant NTPC land

The land was acquired 60 years ago for the NTPC power plant, which was shut on October 15, 2018, freeing up 600 acres of land

A group of villagers and residents of Badarpur in southeast Delhi held a “mahapanchayat” and a protest march on Sunday demanding construction of a college and a sports complex on the vacant section of the land which previously had the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited power plant.

Delhi: Residents demand sports complex on vacant NTPC land

Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from south Delhi said the land was acquired from the villagers around 60 years ago during the Congress government’s tenure at a cheaper price for the NTPC power plant. After the plant was shut on October 15, 2018, about 600 acres became vacant. “It should be used for the people of the area...now a world class sports complex and college should be opened on that land,” Bidhuri, who was also present at the gathering, said.

He also added that about 60 years ago, thousands of acres in Badarpur, Mithapur, Moldaband and Aali villages were taken by the Congress government to build the power plant. “World’s largest eco park has been built on 885 acres of vacant land of Badarpur power house, on which ₹600 crore have been spent and it is now ready. It is going to become the lifeline of Delhi and will help in controlling pollution. The central government will fulfill the public’s demand,” south Delhi MP said.