HC refuses to interfere in East Kidwai Nagar revamp project

Petition claims plan was in gross violation of MPD-2021

The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to interfere with the East Kidwai Nagar redevelopment project noting that the project has been accorded the sanction by the authorities concerned.

“The project has been considered by various authorities like the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, National Monuments Authority, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Unified Traffic & Transportation Infrastructure [Planning and Engineering] Centre [UTTIPEC], New Delhi Municipal Council, Delhi Urban Arts Commission, etc,” Justice Navin Chawla said. “It would not be for this court to find deficiencies in such sanction applying different yardstick,” Justice Chawla said.

The High Court’s judgment came on a petition claiming that the project was in gross violation of the Master Plan for Delhi-2021. The plea submitted that Kidwai Nagar (East) being a government residential colony, the basic character of the same cannot be changed.

Re-densification norm

The plea argued that the project was in complete contravention of the norm of redensification of housing areas developed at lower densities and along selected section of metro corridor. It said that the area around the project is already cluttered, and hence, the redevelopment will create an unplanned load on neighbouring facilities.

The project aims to construct both commercial and residential complexes, with the majority comprising houses under the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) for the government employees.

The total plot area of the project is 86 acres out of which 72 acres is being used for redevelopment. The residential towers includes play area, jogging tracks, pet parks, banquet hall, dispensary, primary and senior secondary schools, gardens, local shopping centre, and ATMs.

At present, 85% of the work has already been executed. Construction of commercial space consisting of four towers is completed and ready to be put in operation. Around 1,500 families are currently residing in the complex. More than 50% of the total flats and 55 out of 78 residential towers have been handed over to the Ministry/Departments concerned.

Traffic impact

On the primary issue of traffic congestion around the project, especially due to its proximity of AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, the High Court noted that traffic impact was duly considered by the UTTIPEC.

“With the mounting population pressure, ever rising number of private vehicles, constraint of space and unplanned development, the city is slowly losing its charm. But then is this enough to stop all development/redevelopment in the city….the answer has to be a ‘no’,” the court added.

The HC also directed that before handing over of the possession of the commercial/office block to the allottees, the authorities should ensure that the compensatory tree plantation is completely carried out.

With the parking provision in the project is 27% less than the one contemplated under the MPD, the court said due to lack of parking space in the colony, vehicles should not be allowed to be parked outside on the main or the arterial roads

“Strict policing and zero tolerance to violation should therefore, be a norm to be followed in the vicinity of this project,” the High Court said.

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