With the MCD elections set to be notified anytime now, the Delhi government has gone on a populist drive to woo the voters with inaugurations and laying foundation stones of several projects.
In the latest pre-poll sops, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday promised that the slum dwellers would be resettled in multi-storeyed flats in outer Delhi.
The promise includes providing new flats to 20,000 families in the slum clusters of the city. These flats would cost Rs 1.5 lakh and the beneficiary would pay only a nominal amount while the rest being paid by the state government and the land owning agency on which the slums are located.
Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, who accompanied Dikshit to inspect the site for rehabilitation, however said the decision was taken long ago. “This is not connected with the elections as we have taken a policy decision to rehabilitate slum dwellers in multi storied apartments much earlier,” he said.
Before the model code of conduct for the elections is enforced, the state government has already gone on a inauguration and foundation laying spree. After the elections are notified, the government would be restrained from announcing any new project, or go for inaugurations or foundation laying stones.
{{/usCountry}}Before the model code of conduct for the elections is enforced, the state government has already gone on a inauguration and foundation laying spree. After the elections are notified, the government would be restrained from announcing any new project, or go for inaugurations or foundation laying stones.
{{/usCountry}}The recent inaugurations include the Moolchand underpass, road on the disused canal to connect Karkardooma with the Marginal Bund pushta road, new wards in Sanjay Gandhi and LNJP. The foundation stone included that of a new patient block in GTB hospital, east Delhi.
The projects for which foundation stones are expected to be laid before the polls include the Shastri Park underpass, Mangolpuri flyover, flyover at Raja Ram Kohli Marg, Shastri Park - Pushta road junction flyover, Munirka flyover, Flyover on Outer Ring Road at Rao Tula Ram Marg, ISBT Anand Vihar and Gazipur flyover etc.
Urban Development and PWD minister AK Walia said the spadework for all these projects has been done and construction would commence soon after the foundation stone laying ceremony.
“We have started a reverse clock system wherein the dates for inauguration and completion of the projects would be strictly monitored,” said Walia.
Email Amitabh Shukla: ashukla@hindustantimes.com