Delhi Urban Regulatory authority

“Transfer the powers presently vested in DDA to this Authority”

DURA would be empowered to decide cases of regularisation of unauthorised constructions beyond normal margins
The Authority should prescribe standard procedures to be followed for considering requests for change in land use

NEW DELHI: The Tejinder Khanna Committee in its report has suggested establishment of a Delhi Urban Regulatory Authority (DURA) to deal with matters concerning changes in development control norms, changes in land use under the Delhi Development Authority Act, 1957, and changes in Building Code Regulations.

It has said that this apex body with representatives drawn from professional town planners, structural engineers, the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi should be vested with appropriate powers under both the DDA Act, 1957, and the MCD Act, 1958.

Suitable conditions

The Regulatory Authority would be empowered to decide cases of regularisation of unauthorised constructions beyond normal margins of compounding and to permit changes in land use, wherever considered justified, on imposition of suitable conditions.

It has been suggested that the powers presently vested in the DDA under Section 11-A of the DDA Act, 1957, be transferred to this Authority and it should prescribe standard procedures to be followed for considering requests for change in land use including eliciting the views of the local communities concerned, and evaluating all relevant aspects of public safety, environment and convenience.

heeyoumurr

The following letter was written by me in 10th grade as a school assignment. Just found it lying on an old computer. Posting for some reality humour – enjoy 🙂

Abhishek

14/9 Kadambari Enclave, G.K.-II,

New Delhi-110048

Chairman

M.C.D New Delhi – 110032

1^st August, 2000

Subject: Free but foul circus of stray dogs and cattle in the city.

Dear Sir,

Please allow me the luxury of bringing to your kind notice the miserable plight of the cursed citizens of the capital city. Every morning when I go for a jog in my neighbouring MCD Park I find stray dogs painting iridescent shades of the philtre on every pole in sight. After reaching the park it is only if I’m lucky that I miss the blocks of fresh brownies indifferently let out by the cows in the vicinity.

Driving to the office is another exercise, which I warily perform as I meander past howling stray dogs running frantically after me in the hope of hitching a ride. As I leave them behind and join the 9 O clock rush on ring road to my dismay I find the traffic halting. Possibly, caused by the corpse of a cow, which had the previous night tried to chew on the succulent but bland electric wire brought down by torrential rains.

The cattle and dog menace isn’t a joke anymore, it is shocking to hear about kids being bitten now and then by the strays on the prowl. Even adults are not spared. After a hard day’s work when I try to soothe my self by listening to music at night all I hear is the clamorous barking in chorus.

I have tried to complain to the local MCD branch several times but all in vain. I was at the MCD office yesterday but only to find the department’s glitterati procrastinating in an alcove sipping their hot cups of tea as the rain beat a muted tattoo on the asbestos roof. It was an amazing experience to come across such marvellous lotus-eaters.

I hope that some thing will be done against the myriad menaces mentioned above at a date not too far into the future.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Abhishek