NEW DELHI: The Shahajahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) has written to Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC), seeking its review report on inspection of the Chandni Chowk redevelopment project. In a communiqué to DUAC secretary, the corporation, which is executing the project, said it had not received any comment or observation from the commission after the inspection of the market and, therefore, agencies associated with the project are unaware of any development.
“The observation of members of DUAC has not been conveyed to us after the conclusion of the inspection. In the absence of any briefing before the inspection and after the meeting, all participating agencies or departments and stakeholders are oblivious on the extent of consensus with the revised proposal submitted before the High Court,” said the letter was written by Nitin Panigrahi, deputy general manager (DGM), project and administration, SRDC.
A joint inspection of ongoing redevelopment of Chandni Chowk by a team of officials of various agencies such as North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Public Work Department (PWD), BSES, Delhi Metro, Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Delhi Police including representatives of traders’ body, and members of DUAC was done on May 29.
The survey was carried out following the nod by Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal at a special meeting of the Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC) to check the feasibility of relocation of power transformers from the Central verge to some other locations.
In February, the DUAC, heritage experts and urban planners filed a petition in the high court challenging the design of redevelopment project, saying public facilities in the middle of the road will distort the heritage and character of the arcade. Thereafter, the court asked L-G to convene a meeting of all stakeholders and petitioners to resolve the matter.
Responding to a letter sent by Panigrahi on May 29, a member of DUAC said the SRDC had no authority to seek a report from the commission.“We are not accountable to SRDC and they have no business writing to us. The inspection was conducted following the intervention of the L-G, who held a meeting in view of the high court order. We have submitted our observations and remark to L-G already. The ball is now in his court. He has to decide whether he wants to convene another meeting or send his report to the high court,” said the member, who asked not to be named.
Through the letter, the SRDC has also suggested that the DUAC organise a meeting of all stakeholders to have a focussed discussion on the outcome of the inspection. Sanjay Bhargava, president, Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, said the commission had failed to serve its purpose and was unnecessarily creating hindrance to the project.
“What have they (DUAC) done for the city since coming into existence in 1973? The city has been ruined under their watchful eyes. Heritage havelis are being converted into commercial complexes contrary to provisions of the Master Plan of Delhi. The DUAC’s inspecting team left midway without seeing the complete area where the work was going on. I am going to raise the issue with the L-G,” Bhargava said.
However, the DUAC member said that the traders association was making these allegations because the commission’s representatives refused to listen to their demands.“Traders association showed us what they wanted us to see. The DUAC members and other petitioners have been to Chandni Chowk and are very much aware of the area and its problems. They are making an issue as we did not yield to their demands,” he said.