NEW DELHI: In a fresh attempt to put an end to the prevailing chaos in the ‘Walled City Extension’ — defined as a special area in Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 — Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday asked North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to prepare a blueprint for redevelopment of a specific area instead of the entire region.
Senior officials of government agencies, privy to the development, said the L-G, in the meeting held at Raj Niwas to review the long-pending proposal for redevelopment of the special area, which includes-Sadar Bazaar, Paharganj and Karol Bagh, urged authorities to chalk out a ‘feasible pilot’ project after consultation with stakeholders, including residents and traders.
“The L-G was of the opinion that first, a small area should be taken up as pilot. He has asked the municipal corporation to come up with a plan in two months. He was very clear that any planning should be after consultation with the stakeholders. Otherwise, it will not be successful. He advised agencies to tread cautiously as the area is congested and is home to heritage structures,” an official said.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of the massive fire at an illegal industrial unit in Anaj Mandi near Sadar Bazaar area on December 8, in which 43 people were killed. The incident led to political bickering over the Special Area redevelopment plan.
Wednesday’s meeting was attended by senior officials of the urban development department of Delhi government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Traffic Police, and the NDMC. Representatives of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) were also there.
NIUA is presently collaborating with the DDA for preparing the MPD 2041. Another official said that Baijal had stressed on a workable plan, as previous attempts had failed. "Discussions centered on proper traffic circulation plan and amalgamation of plots," he said.