More than 21,000 EWS houses before Commonwealth Games: DDA

New Delhi, Mar 24 (UNI) With deadlines of Comonwealth Games round the corner the Delhi Development Authority today announced a massive resettlement and rehabilitation plan for the jhuggi-jhopri cluster dwellers with the construction of nearly 21,500 flats.

Announcing this at a press conference, DDA Vice-Chairman Dinesh Rai said 17,950 houses would be built for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) along with 3,500 others under the 'tehkhand' scheme.

''The idea is to rid Delhi of the jhuggi-jhopri clusters and beautify it before the Commonwealth Games (CMG) in 2010.'' For the CMG a total of 1,250 crore has been marked of which while half would come through public-private participation, the rest has been requested from the Central government in the form of grants, he said.

''Of this Rs 150 crore as been kept for projects in 2006-07 fiscal.'' Consultants for the projects would be appointed by May this year and work would begin by early 2007.

''We are also trying to incorporate the 'innovative steps' learnt during our trip to Melbourne like making stadiums, which could be used for multi-disciplines and for other purposes and acquatics where community participation is involved,'' said the DDA Vice-Chairman.

''Also Rs 533.81 crore has been marked for construction of houses and shops as compared to anticipated expenditure of Rs 289.75 crore in 2005-06 and actual expenditure of 352.90 crore in 2004-05,'' he said.

For extension of the Metro in Dwarka from Sector 9 to 22, the DDA has paid Rs 50 crore to the DMRC out of the total share of 275 crore in the current financial year, he informed the media while adding that the 240 crore share of the DDA in the Rs 320 project of Dwarka is being requested as equity participation.

Informing that the DDA would be fully computerised within the next one-and-a-half year, Mr Rai said Rs 12 crore has been allocated in the coming fiscal for comprehensive computerisation of the DDA.

Besides this, three remaining clover leaves at Noida Flyover and two others at Karkari Morh and widening of existing bridge on trunk drain No 1 under Flyover Project lot III, Rs 0.70 crore in revised estimate of 2005-06 and Rs 18 crore in budget estimate for 2006-07 has been made, the DDA Vice-Chairman added.

The DDA also showed a surplus of three crore in its kitty in the budget presented for 2006-07 with an expenditure projected at Rs 2,865 crore and receipts pegged at Rs 2,868.16 crore.

UNI AN SC DB2054