Schools,shops,colonies,fall to MCD plans to ease traffic

Now,the civic agency,in another bid to tackle traffic congestion in the area,has decided to do away with two schools,a number of shops and around five residential colonies.

On MCD drawing board are the blueprints for the 1.7-kilometre long dual carriageway that will serve as a link between Northeast and Southwest Delhi.

Sources in the Corporation said the MCD is in the process of finalising land acquisition procedures for this project. The civic agency has already acquired 13,500 sq m of Railways land and is finalising the acquisition of 2,200 sq m land owned partly by the Public Works Department and St Stephen’s Hospital.

In the process,the MCD will acquire areas like Nawabganj,Naya Mohalla,Deriwala Bagh,Kothi Mem,Model Basti — all mainly residential colonies — against a cost of Rs 17 crore.

The civic agency has already acquired and demolished an MCD school and a Delhi government school around the Azad Market Chowk besides demolishing 222 shops and 85 residential structures in the area.

The move,Corporation officials said,is necessary to accommodate the four-way grade separator between Filmistan Cinema and Boulevard Road.

To be constructed at a cost of around Rs 178 crore,the grade separator is touted as the only solution to the major traffic congestion in the area. Once complete,the grade separator will cater to around 50,000 vehicles daily.

The project,sanctioned in the early 1990s,was delayed several times. The Unified Traffic and Transport Infrastructure and Engineering Centre recently cleared the revived proposal and a private firm,Brahmaputra Infrastructure Ltd is carrying out the construction.

In December last year,the project had irked conservationists and residents after the Bishop House,built in the 1930s was razed. Conservationists had at the time also alleged the work will affect the facades of several other listed heritage buildings,including Queen Mary’s School and the chapel of the St Stephen’s Hospital. The MCD also had to cut around 570 trees in the area.

The Corporation,however,claimed all parties involved were taken into confidence during the land acquisition. The MCD had paid Rs 14 crore to acquire land of the Bishop House.

Bishop S S Singh of the Delhi Episcopal Area,Methodist Church in India,confirming the same said he “finally submitted to their demand and vacated the premises when told that the MCD project was necessary for the larger public good”.

The project is due to be completed by September next year.

Road ahead

* 1.7-km long dual carriageway will link Northeast and Southwest Delhi

* MCD will acquire areas like Nawabganj,Naya Mohalla,Deriwala Bagh,Kothi Mem,Model Basti at a cost of Rs 17 crore

* Four-way grade separator to be constructed at a cost of around Rs 178 crore

* The grade separator will cater to around 50,000

vehicles daily