Urban Devt Ministry yet to decide on DUAC resignations

New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI) The Urban Development Ministry is yet to take a decision on the resignation of Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) chairperson Charles Correa and all three members of the panel.

A senior official said Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy will soon take a decision on the matter.

The official also tried to dismiss the resignations, as of ''not much significance'' as in any case they were to complete their term next month and said, ''The Ministry has also issued for selection of a new panel.'' While the Minister was not reachable, his deputy Ajay Maken was away in Jharkhand for party-related work.

Septugenarian architect and planner Mr Correa and members Dr Narayani Gupta (historian), Jasbir Sawhney (architect), and Mohammad Shaheer (landscape architect) put in their papers with the Ministry of Urban Development yesterday, apparently miffed at being blamed by the state government and the Ministry for the delays in the 2010 Commonwealth Games related projects.

Ministry officials said the members had quoted media reports targetting the DUAC for ''blocking'' Commonwealth Games projects including the East-West Corridor, the tunnel road, the new ISBT, and the six-lane highway at Badarpur, among the reasons for their disgruntlement.

The term of the DUAC panel was to end on March 31. The office-bearers are appointed by the ministry for a three-year term.

The Ministry had earlier circulated a circular seeking nominations for new DUAC chairperson and panel members.

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