DMRC plans housing project

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro is planning to construct residential flats on a vacant land pocket near Janakpuri West Metro station that was meant for a nature care centre and a women’s hostel. The land pocket, measuring 11,284 square meters, has been allocated to the DMRC by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). 

The flats will be constructed under the corporation’s property development scheme. 

The plan has come under severe criticism from the local residents, who want the land pocket to be utilised for its original purpose. Located at a prime area, the plot, which is in front of the Janakpuri Club, has been lying vacant ever since the construction of the residential colony there.

When the DDA constructed the Janakpuri colony, it had allocated land spaces for flats as well as bungalows. Some big land pockets were also earmarked for commercial activities such as schools, hospitals, and other community activities.

A resident of the Janakpuri A-block and councillor of the area, Narendra Chawla, said that in the last 50 years, neither the nature care centre nor the women’s hostel were constructed on the vacant land pocket and now preparations have been made to construct flats on the plot. He added that the DMRC has drawn up a plan to build 460 multistorey apartments on the plot and sell them to private buyers. 

The Delhi Metro, however, said that the plot is not a green space and that the requisite permissions have been sought to construct these flats. Mr Chawla asserted that the land pocket should be utilised for its initial purpose, adding that the construction of a residential complex will cause huge problems in the area. He further said that even the residents are opposed to this decision.