Soon, Nehru Place to get an overhaul

New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) soon plans to refurbish three prominent market spaces — Nehru Place, Bhikaji Cama Place and Basant Lok Market — in South Delhi and has prepared a detailed plan for the redevelopment.

As per the plan, the land owning agency will repair facade of buildings, renovate pavements, fix toilets and build new ones and build pedestrian pathways. According to a senior DDA official, maintenance of the area was handed over to the South Delhi Municipal Corpor-ation (SDMC) in 2014, but it was not in a position to maintain them.

“Now, the SDMC will only look after the sanitation and the DDA will refurbish the area for which work will begin soon. The union urban development ministry has given in-principle approval for all three projects and the DDA has also got the no-objection certificate from the corporation,” he said.

The DDA will start the redevelopment work from Nehru Place, one of the busiest markets in the national capital located on a site of 96 acres. It is one of the first district centres to be built in the mid-Seventies.

After completing the work in Nehru Place, the DDA will start work at Bhikaji Cama and Basant Lok. Redevelopment of the Basant Lok market has also been under consideration for a long time and traders have been running from pillar to post to get the work done.

A senior DDA official said that about Rs 80 crore has been allocated for the three projects, with Rs 55 crore allocated for Nehru Place renovation. “There are 11 district commercial centres which run under the DDA. Another centre, Peeraghadi, will come up. After the redevelopment of these three markets in the first phase, the DDA will also undertake renovation work in other markets as well,” he said.