To build homes for officials, Delhi govt identifies 6 sites for first GPRA project under PPP model

Officials said the government has identified land pockets and plots for the redevelopment of six GPRA colonies at North Delhi’s Gulabi Bagh, Timarpur and Probyn Road, East Delhi’s Kalyanvas, South East Delhi’s Bahapur and the DDCD plot.

While Gulabi Bagh consists of Type 1, 2 and 3 government quarters. Probyn Road and Timarpur, near Civil Lines, have 16 Type 5 residential quarters and 90 Type 3 quarters.

The Kalyanvas area has 70 units of Type 2 government flats.

The Type 1 to Type 5 quarters are allocated based on an employee’s grade pay or pay level, ranging from lower-level staff (Type 1) to senior officers (Type 5).

The Indian Express had first reported last July about the government’s plan to develop colonies under the PPP model with the pilot project being explored in Bahapur.

A senior official said that the Public Works Department (PWD), which will execute the project, had earlier selected seven locations and shared its plan with the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC).

“The details of the land area, number of buildings and storeys, and plinth area were given to NBCC, following which the government shortlisted six locations,” an official said.

“Once the PPP proposal is received from NBCC, the Swiss Challenge method will be adopted to invite other agencies to submit their proposals for comparison,” an internal document of the PWD had stated earlier.

The Swiss challenge method is said to be a transparent, competitive process that allows private players to accept contracts from the government through the process of bidding.

The matter was also discussed in a recently held review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta with the PWD, officials said.

The government also plans to redevelop offices such as the Delhi Secretariat and Vikas Bhawan at ITO. “Initiatives have been taken for the redevelopment of existing office and residential colonies by engaging a Project Management Consultant to finalise the PPP model and prepare a detailed plan,” a senior official said.