The Hindu : New Delhi News : “CP project may not be over before the Games”

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Monday, Nov 03, 2008
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“CP project may not be over before the Games”

Manisha Jha

DUAC’s non-approval behind the stalemate

‘22 crore received for the project’
NDTA trying to reconcile matters

NEW DELHI: With the stalemate over the New Delhi Municipal Council’s project on redevelopment of Connaught Place still continuing owing to the Delhi Urban Art’s Commission’s non-approval of the C-Block restoration, the civic body is wary of being able to complete the project ahead of the Commonwealth Games in the city in 2010 as planned.

An NDMC official said: “After getting approval from various agencies including the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the DDA Delhi Development Authority and others over the past two years, we also managed to get the approval of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for funding the project recently. However, the project has been lying with the DUAC since February 2008 as it wants to make changes in it. Unless we start work in November, we might not be able to complete the project before the Commonwealth Games as we need 24 to 30 months to complete it.”

“If the present DUAC panel doesn’t not approve the project, then we would have to modify it which would call for a fresh round of approvals from various agencies. This could take up to two years and by that time a new panel would be in place in DUAC. We have already shortlisted the names of contractors to be awarded the tenders and have also received the first instalment of Rs.22 crore for the project from Ministry of Urban Development under JNNURM,” he added.

Meanwhile, the New Delhi Traders’ Association, which is one of the biggest stakeholders in the project, is trying to reconcile matters to ensure continuation of the project.

NDTA president Atul Bharghav said: “We have requested DUAC to arrange a joint meeting between the NDTA, DUAC and the NDMC to sort out all our issues and ensure that the project is completed in time ahead of the Games. The restored C-Block is definitely looking a lot better now than it looked before.”

Another major development in the redevelopment project is the change in funding pattern for the project.

A civic body official said: “Earlier, we had envisaged the entire funding for the project would be sourced from the Delhi Government and the Urban Development Ministry. However, since parking and electricity up-gradation works are not permitted under JNNURM, it has been decided that these works would be funded by the NDMC itself either through its own funds or through a public private partnership project for parking which would save us about Rs.150 crore.”

Accordingly, Rs.253 crore would be funded by the Delhi Government and the Ministry of Urban Development with the civic body chipping in Rs.230 crore of its own.

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