Metro flats on riverbed may run into trouble (Times of India 04 November 2010)

NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) residential flats coming up next to the Akshardham Metro station might be in for major trouble. The organisation has neither got the land use changed from green to residential, nor has it reportedly got the mandatory clearances from Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC). According to sources, 90 flats are coming up in two 10-storey buildings. This was ironically the same spot where some years back Delhi government had removed over 600 jhuggis claiming that the land was on the riverbed and permitting residential use would be detrimental for the river. 'In 2009, DMRC had told the high court that it would not carry out construction of the flats but when the case was taken up to the Supreme Court, it said that the housing complex was required for its train cleaning and maintenance staff and that it would take necessary clearances before work was started. However, even then it did not submit to the court the plans for the building, how many flats it was proposing to construct, etc,'' said Vinod Jain of NGO Tapas. Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan added that the land was given to DMRC by the UP irrigation department on the condition that it would change the land use before starting construction. ''However, DMRC has violated the master plan by going ahead with construction without any such changes. It also did not apply to DUAC for any clearances,'' he said.