Red bus shelter a green threat (Times of India-Oct 23, 2010)

Neha Lalchandani

NEW DELHI: Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) might find itself packing up and having to find a new plot of land to park its 600 airconditioned buses. The agency, which had been given land on the Yamuna river bed next to the Indraprastha power station for the Millennium bus depot during the Commonwealth Games, had been told that it would be a temporary set-up and they would have to vacate the land within a week or so of the Games ending. DTC meanwhile seems to have other plans, announcing that it will continue to park its buses there.
The issue has got environment activists up in arms against the corporation even as government sources assured that DTC would be asked to leave if it persisted in sticking on. "The land was given to DTC on lease for the duration of the Games. The plot is located in zone O of DDA's masterplan and according to a 2009 L-G moratorium, no construction is permitted here. Secondly, it was made clear right in the beginning that this would only be a temporary structure. By proposing to keep its buses parked here, DTC is indulging in rampant encroachment,'' said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
In a letter dated May 5, 2010, Ranjan Mukherjee, OSD to the L-G told Misra that "the bus parking facility...will be a temporary arrangement for DTC for the duration of the CWG-2010 and there is no plan for any permanent structures. The structures are to be completely removed after Games.''
According to DTC sources, they are planning to use the land as a shelter for 600 AC buses. They said that the structure is temporary, including the flooring that was flexible pavement. However, there were no plans of vacating the premises anytime soon.
The permission for the bus shelter was given amid much controversy and opposition by environment groups that saw the move as another attempt to take over river bed land. Permission was given on the condition that there would be no permanent construction, soft parking of compressed earth or perforated paved blocks. It was to be given to DTC on lease and no servicing of buses was to have taken place. DTC was to dismantle all structures and move out within 10 days of the Games getting over.
"The plot was earlier being used as a fly ash dumping ground by the nearby power station. However, it is clearly river bed land and when permission was given for the bus depot due to security concerns, it was said that it could not be a permanent set-up. During construction, PWD used fly ash and cement to first level the ground. A lot of other structures have also come up there. In April, DDA had said that it was not aware of any plans for a bus depot on that land. DTC cannot decide arbitrarily to stay there and must move out,'' said Vinod Jain of NGO Tapas.