Delhi should be developed vertically: Ajay Maken

New Delhi, Dec 11 (UNI) If Delhi cannot be developed horizontally, it should be developed vertically, Union Minister for State for Urban Development Ajay Maken said today.

Speaking on the 'Dilli Aaj Tak' news channel, Mr Maken said, ''We have seen wherever there is a private participation there is development in terms of good buildings. But in Delhi, you see the old two-three storeyed structures which are planned and executed by DDA's faulty though process. Why should we create a barricade for people who want to come to Delhi? If Delhi cannot be developed horizontally, it should be developed vertically.'' Citing examples of Shanghai and Hong Kong, he said, ''the government should go for 25 per cent ground coverage and instead of two and three storeys, we should go in for 50 storeyed structures in order to visualise and make Delhi a world class city.'' Mr Maken said the proposed new Master Plan for Delhi would have a provision for mixed land use policy.

''There will be a mixed land use policy. People will be able to live and work in the same premises. India is a country where the culture of district centres and urbanisation cannot co-exist. There has to be mixed land use, hence no district centres. In January 2007 we will bring a new Master Plan in which there will be a proposal for mixed land use for sure,'' he said.

Holding DDA responsible for the present state of affairs arising out of sealing and demolition in Delhi, Mr Maken said, ''DDA is not a profit making body but still it buys the land from the farmers and sells it making a profit. We will not let that happen. DDA is the planner, the regulator and the builder. They created such norms and Delhi is suffering because of them. DDA did it for its own benefits.'' Admitting that both DDA and the MCD were full of corrupt officials, he suggested that they be dismissed and not protected.

He said traders had been given a lot of relief as out of the total of seven lakh traders, only 1700-1800 premises have been sealed.

Asked whether the MCD was following the Supreme Court guidelines while sealing, he said, ''if the MCD is sealing premises other than the negative roads and the big fish, it is doing the wrong thing.'' UNI AR SHB VV1945