Pragati Maidan eyes a major makeover

Delhi's premier exhibition centre, Pragati Maidan, is all set for a mega expansion and makeover. HT reports. New look soon

Delhi's premier exhibition centre, Pragati Maidan, is all set for a mega expansion and makeover.

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Though the plans to redevelop Pragati Maidan had been floated by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), which runs the convention centre, some years ago, the revamp hit a glitch. ITPO had even appointing consultants who prepared a study.

The problems were finally sorted out on Tuesday.

The plot where Pragati Maidan had come up more than 30 years ago was actually conceived as a space for a district park, according to the Master Plan of Delhi.

This means that there couldn't be any remodeling or addition to the exhibition area.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday, however, approved the area's land use and upgraded it from 'recreational district park' to public and semi public facilities (international convention centre).

The DDA approved the change of land use in an area measuring 49.98 hectares of Pragati Maidan in a board meeting.

"The change of land use had been processed on the recommendations of Ministry of Commerce and ITPO and objections or suggestions were invited. No objections or suggestions were received and therefore, the proposal was placed before the authority for approval," a DDA spokesperson said.

"It was anomaly that needed to be changed and we have been pursuing the issue with the urban development ministry and DDA," said a senior ITPO official who did not wish to be named.

Other decisions
The DDA also approved an area measuring 4447.49 sq metres for UIDAI headquarters at Bangla Sahib Road. The authority approved the continuance of seven "temporary cinemas" that have been operating for four decades but are not categorised as cinema halls.