Colony transfer: MCG sets developer Dec 31 deadline for fixing infra in DLF 1, 2 and 3

Officials said that the deadline was set in a review meeting between MCG officials and DLF at the civic body’s Sector 34 office on Tuesday. The takeover of the three colonies has been pending since February 2016

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) set a deadline of December 31 for DLF, the developer of DLF Phases 1, 2 and 3, to complete work on the remaining civic deficiencies and hand them over to the civic body.

In a review meeting, the MCG set a deadline of December 31 for DLF, the developer of DLF Phases 1, 2 and 3, to complete work on the remaining civic deficiencies and hand them over to the civic body. (HT Archive)

Officials said that the deadline was set in a review meeting between MCG officials and DLF at the civic body’s Sector 34 office on Tuesday. The takeover of the three colonies has been pending since February 2016.

“A review meeting was held with DLF regarding DLF Phases 1, 2 and 3. DLF had decided to fix all deficiencies instead of paying the MCG for doing so and handing over the colonies with immediate effect. DLF is yet to fix the existing civic deficiencies and they were directed in Tuesday’s meeting to complete them at the earliest,” Vivek Gill, superintending engineer (SE), MCG, said.

Gill said that DLF had sought time till March 31, 2022, to fix the civic deficiencies in the three colonies. “We did not approve DLF’s March deadline and instead have given them a stern direction to complete the task by December 31. DLF officials also agreed to this,” Gill said.

Representative of DLF did not respond to requests for comment.

Gill said that Rama Rathee and Kusum Yadav, respective councillors of wards 34 and 35, in the meeting requested the MCG to start taking up civic amenities in the three colonies other than those that are yet to be fixed.

Before taking over privately developed colonies, MCG carries out a deficiency assessment survey to check if the civic amenities, as listed by the developer at the time of procuring building plans, have been completed and if the condition of the existing amenities is optimum.

Each DPR contains details of the amenities found to be missing or in poor condition during an MCG survey.

According to MCG’s 2017 deficiency assessment report, ₹14.12 crore was required to fix civic deficiencies in DLF Phase-1, ₹9.43 crore for DLF Phase-2 and ₹11.89 crore for DLF Phase-3.

“The two councillors requested us to take up civic work besides those mentioned in the DPR. We will be taking up this matter with MCG commissioner Mukesh Kumar this week. If the MCG commissioner gives approval, we will immediately start offering civic services in the three colonies,” Gill said.

MCG chief engineer, TL Sharma, said, “Civic services that are not under the purview of DLF will be started by the MCG in the three colonies.”

During a House meeting on Monday, MCG commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja had directed Sharma to start the formalities of the takeover process from Tuesday. Sharma said that providing additional services in the three colonies was also a part of this direction.

According to a senior MCG official who attended the meeting, the repair and upgrade of most civic deficiencies in the three colonies have been completed by the developer. “DLF officials disclosed during the meeting that work on most deficiencies has been completed; only around 30% of all road projects are left, along with few minor works in horticulture, sewerage, and water supply,” the official said, requesting not to be named.

According to Rathee, work on renovating roads of G Block in DLF Phase-1, J and L blocks in DLF Phase-2 are among the pending works.

Both Sharma and Gill said that another review meeting will be held within the next 15 days with DLF, under the chairmanship of the MCG commissioner.