NEW DELHI: Residents of B-1 Vasant Kunj held a mass protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, demanding the immediate cancellation of a Delhi Development Authority-approved project to construct three multi-storey towers on the South Central Morphological Ridge.
The protest comes amid rising concerns that the sanctioned towers—each 10 storeys high with a three-level basement—violate environmental norms and Master Plan guidelines governing ridge areas.
According to the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA), the construction approval overlooks the ecological significance of the ridge and the risks posed by large-scale excavation on the fragile Aravalli landscape.
Residents said the project endangers nearly 5,000 people living in B-1 Vasant Kunj and thousands of schoolchildren studying nearby. “It is important to note that they are also building three stories underground on a morphological ridge. It’s quite rocky underneath, which means that they will be using blasting techniques. This will greatly disturb the residents living there,” said Rohit Srivastava, a resident.
The Residents’ Welfare Association said ridge areas perform crucial ecological functions and must be preserved, especially when the national capital battles hazardous air quality every winter.
RWA alleged that DDA and the MCD have increasingly allowed private builders to construct luxury towers in fragile ecological belts. “Our protest aims to highlight these concerns, press for the protection of the ridge in its ‘pristine glory’, and assert citizens’ right to clean air,” said Rajeev Ranjan, President of the Vasant Kunj, B-1 RWA.
Protesters flag environmental omissions in sensitive zones
Residents highlighted concerns regarding dust emissions, construction-linked air and noise pollution, increased traffic congestion, added strain on civic infrastructure, and the implications of digging deep basements in seismic zone IV. RWA alleged that DDA and the MCD have increasingly allowed private builders to construct luxury towers in fragile ecological belts.