Frequent visitors to the office of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will now be watched and a tab kept on them as a measure to bring in transparency.
The steps are in keeping with a recommendation of the Standing Committee on Urban Development. The committee while examining the functioning of the DDA in its report tabled in the Lok Sabha noted that despite taking various steps to bring in transparency in its functioning, the DDA has failed to eliminate the existence of touts/ agents in its office.
“As recommended by the committee, frequent inspections will continue to be carried out by DDA at the reception office to check the frequency of visiting persons,” the DDA said in its reply.
While taking a serious view on the issue, the committee said it “strongly desires that the DDA should strictly ensure compliance of the steps initiated by it. The committee further desires that CCTV cameras should be installed in all the rooms of the DDA at the earliest and the records of the register at the reception office of the DDA should be periodically monitored in order to see the name of frequently visited persons so that his/her entry can be out under watch.”
The committee observed that to reduce the movement of touts in various branches, the exit/entry points in Vikas Sadan, the office of the DDA have been reduced from seven to three and file tracking system has been implemented in the vigilance branch to check delays in handling of files and presence of outsiders.
It also noted that installation of CCTV cameras is under process in Vikas Sadan where major public dealing activities are conducted and directions have been issued to put on website all rules to increase transparency.
However, the committee expressed concern that “despite all these systems in place, the DDA has not been able to eliminate the existence of touts/ agents in its office”.
The DDA in its reply said CCTV cameras have already been installed all over Vikas Sadan, including entry and exit points and in all the rooms/ branches dealing with public, and are being monitored. “The control screen of these CCTV cameras has also been provided to various heads of departments who could monitor simultaneously any unwanted happenings which can be avoided,” the DDA informed.
As regards the records of reception office, the DDA said the same has been computerised and photo cards are being issued to visitors to keep a check on touts/ agents.
