A masterly planned ?milking?

Did you know three master plans made since 1967 have proved to be non-starters as none of them have been implemented till date? As if this were not enough even the Master Plan-2021 has already been prepared but is reportedly awaiting government's seal.

Did you know three master plans made since 1967 have proved to be non-starters as none of them have been implemented till date?

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As if this were not enough even the Master Plan-2021 has already been prepared but is reportedly awaiting government's seal.

Informed sources claim, master plans made in 1967, 1989 and 2001 are gathering dust in ADA in the shape of 'bound books' and the ADA officials have been merely using them in the form of 'Dracula' to instill fear in the heart of citizens and others just to stuff their already bulging pockets.

Interestingly, a big show in the name of Allahabad Vikas Pahal' which was attended by intellectuals and elite of the city was organised at a three-star hotel during the days of ADA vice chairman CK Tewari. KM Singh was the then town planner. Lots of papers were read and people left no stone unturned fantasizing about the dream city on the lines of Bangalore. The then Commissioner and ADA Chairman Devdutt in his speech had pointed out how impractical and faulty was the master plan. He suggested for preparing a practical master plan after a survey.

But on their part, a couple of greedy ADA officials grabbed the commissioner's suggestion as a god sent opportunity to make fast buck. They lost no time in floating a tender for the survey and granted the same to a Gorakhpur based architect. 'Apne ghar mein baahar ke aadmi jisko yahan ke baarey mein kuch nahin pata se survey karane ka kya fayeda, was the remark of the then ADA official. But who pays heed to such remarks, 'unhe to paise se matlab tha ADA ke nuksan wa junta ki pareshani se nahin', says an ADA officer on condition of anonymity. The end result of all this is before us, remarked the ADA officer.

All the main roads and loop roads in places like Civil Lines, Chowk, Katra, Colonelganj, Muthiganj, Roshan Bagh, Kydganj, Sulemsarai, Dhumanganj, Teliarganj, George Town, Tagore Town, Alopi Bagh, Bai Ka Bagh, Attarsuiya, Bairhana, Sohbatiabagh, Meerapur, Kareli, Daraganj, Phaphamau,, Allahpur, Ashok Nagar, Daraganj, Rajapur, Rambagh, North and South Malaka, Kothaparcha, Hatia, Atala, Khuldabad, area near Radio station and Circuit House have witnessed mushroom growth of single, double and multi-storeyed commercial complexes.

On the contrary, those behind the show have declared all these roads as residential in the master plan.

This recourse was deliberately taken by ADA officials who knew that getting commercial building clearance was not possible at these places due to defects in the master plan. So with their 'own master plan' in their mind the (ADA) officials succeeded in making such huge amounts of money which they find difficult to carry on transfer, alleged a builder who accuses ADA officials of fleecing him several times.

If ADA goes ahead to change the land use (from residential to commercial) along these roads and loop roads it will increase its income by over Rs 10 crore per month. The total sum, thus collected, may even cross a whopping hundred crore limit, claim sources. This massive sum may be conveniently used to develop picnic spots, parks, drainage, sewerage and water supply which are the dire needs of the citizens.

This will also put substantial check over illegal building activity, claim sources.