DDA Board recommends relief for common man, small traders

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) In a huge relief for the common man and small traders in Delhi, living under the constant fear of sealing and demolition, the Delhi Development Authority today recommended to the Urban development ministry 100 per cent relief for 175 sq m plots and designating roads 70 ft or wider as 100 per cent commercial roads under the Delhi Master Plan.

The recommendations, given after a meeting of the DDA board which deliberated on various suggestions to modify the Master Plan, also included allowing 75 per cent coverage to 176-251 sq m plots while permitting 60 per cent coverage for 252-500 sq m plots, BJP MLA and member of the board Mange Ram Garg told newspersons.

The board suggestion is an improvement over the recommendation of the Tejender Khanna committee which was for allowing 100 per cent coverage to 100 sq m plots.

''However, board members felt that the limit should be increased since most dwellings in Delhi are about 200 ft or more,''Mr Garg said.

The suggestions given after the board meeting, presided over by Haryana Governor A R Kidwai in the absence of Lt Gov B L Joshi, also included allowing mixed land use for 13.5 ft, 9 ft and 6 ft roads in villages and resettlement colonies of Delhi and designating areas like Gandhinagar, Tank road as 100 per cent commercial areas.

The board also recommended providing exemption from sealing for pre-primary schools recognised by the MCD. At the same time, it also suggested play schools, which have not obtained recognition from the MCD, be allowed to do so in the coming session, Mr Garg said.

It also suggested that should there be categorisation of such schools and small coaching institutes operating in the residential areas.

He said the board's recommendation to designate more than 70 ft roads as commercial roads would benefit the banquet halls operating in various localities of Delhi.

It also recommended relief for building material godowns but suggested that warehouses be kept out of the purview.

Mr Garg said the suggestions given by the Board sought to benefit the people from the lower and the middle strata who were the most affected by the sealing and demolition drive.

Among others who attended the meeting of the board included Congress MLAs Mahabal Misra and Zile Singh Chauhan and councillors Virendra Kasana and Ishwar Das.

Based on the recommendations of the board, the Ministry will notify the amendments in the Delhi Master Plan so as to provide relief for common man and traders in Delhi.

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