The Delhi high court on Tuesday -- while hearing a plea that alleged the East Kidwai Nagar redevelopment project was executed without considering environmental implications, road space, or rights of residents -- said it knows the condition of traffic in the city and NBCC India will have to give answers to the court .
“Being a resident of Delhi, I know the traffic conditions in the city. You will need to give answers,”Justice Navin Chawla said after the petitioner concluded her arguments in person. The court will hear NBCC’s arguments on Wednesday.
The court was hearing a petition filed by senior advocate Aman Lekhi and advocate Manali Singhal in 2014, who alleged the East Kidwai Nagar redevelopment project plan, meant to provide accommodation to government officials, was conceived without considering the environmental implications, road space or rights of residents.
NBCC India is in charge of the project.
During a hearing on Tuesday, advocate Singhal told the court that the project had been executed in complete violation of the Master Plan of Delhi-2021. She said 10% commercial use of the property had been allowed on wrong premises and explained that there was no parking for visitors, which was highlighted in a report submitted by IIT professor Geetam Tiwari to the high court in 2019.
“There is no visitor’s parking. Cars would have to be parked on the service lane, which will lead to congestion,” she said, adding permission for the project had been given “without application of mind” and in an “arbitrary manner”.
She said even the IIT report had said the project was “unrealistic” and incorrect.
The Union government is developing a massive residential area around Ring Road in south Delhi. According to the plan, eight areas — East Kidwai Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Thyagaraja Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur — are being developed as group housing societies for government employees and for commercial use.
The Centre is proposing to build over 25,000 flats for government employees in these neighbourhoods in addition to the 4,700 flats already built in East Kidwai Nagar adjoining South Extension-1.
IIT professor Geetam Tiwari, who had come to assist the court, had pointed out loopholes in the project in her report. She had stated that the project should have been constructed according to Transit Oriented Development norms as the idea was to increase the use of public transport, but was not, resulting in congestion in the area.
