NEW DELHI: The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) and the authorities concerned taking a look into the redevelopment of Chandni Chowk suggested taking penal action and contempt proceedings against all the repeat offenders responsible for hanging wires, illegal facade improvements and dirty roads.
In a meeting of nodal officers conducted to discuss decisions regarding taking action against the offenders, it was decided that the Deputy Commissioner (DC) (City SP Zone)/ Nodal officer (MCD) should with immediate effect ensure the removal of hanging wires in compliance to the direction of High Court in this regard and also initiate contempt proceedings against repeated offenders beside legal/penal actions in accordance with relevant provisions of acts or statutes concerning the same.
The DC has also been asked to prevent unauthorized construction, and illegal façade improvements in the stretch to protect the heritage of the area under relevant provisions of the MCD Act, Unified Building Bye Laws.
The officials flagging the issue of proper sanitation urged the MCD to ensure daily cleaning of streets and removal of garbage during the morning. They said that the PWD holds the responsibility of maintaining proper sanitation in the stretch 24X7.
The authorities have also been asked to conduct a study to scientifically assess the requirement of manpower and machinery for maintaining sanitation in comparison to the international standards. They were also asked to go through the SOPs adopted by places such as railway stations having a huge crowd.
Another area of concern is the unavailability of night shelters for the homeless.
They made the streets their home, keeping their beds, utensils and clothes together in one place. The police officials deployed in the area said that they always find a way back even after being sent to villages around the Delhi border.
However, the Deputy Commissioner Police (North District) in coordination with superintending engineer/ Nodal officer of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has been asked to ensure that the homeless are shifted to night shelters for their safety, security and sanitation. The authorities were also asked to handover the identified land for the night shelter to the nodal officer of DUSIB in a week and a timeline for constructing the same soon.
Things yet to be made operational