NEW DELHI: Delhi high court has directed lieutenant governor Anil Baijal to meet all the stakeholders not later than August 31 and take a final call on the issue of installation of transformers on the main road under the Chandni Chowk redevelopment project.
The court has also directed the Shahajahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) board to call for a prior meeting (before August 16) to sort out the matter. The directive came after objections were raised by DUAC officials on July 16 meeting stating that the heritage look of Chandni Chowk will be compromised if the transformers were installed on the central verge.
“At the meeting, while issues related to location of toilets, police posts were resolved, there was a difference between the implementing agencies and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) on the issue of placement of the transformers on the central verge,” said Sanjay Bhargava, president Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapaar Mandal.
While SRDC and BSES relied on the Central Electricity Authority’s report, DUAC’s argument was substantiated with the inputs from professor Abhijit R Abhyankar, electrical engineer IIT-Delhi, and BS Rawat, executive engineer (electrical), JNU, said the minutes of meetings shared with the court.
Since the disagreement between the agencies was on technical grounds such as the type of transformers (dry or oil-type transformers) and the fuel to be used in them, the LG asked SRDC to take the final decision.
On Tuesday, the court, however, clarified that the decision taken by the SRDC board would further be presented before a joint committee and then the final decision would be conveyed to the court in the next hearing on September 2.
“At the upcoming joint meeting, we will raise the issue of making a provision for two toilet blocks on the central verge, as conceived in the original plan. There were toilets constructed on pavement illegally earlier,” said Bhargava.
The traders also maintained that they were against the installation of transformers on the pavements. Earlier in June, DUAC had submitted a detailed report recommending major changes in the redevelopment plan. While some of the changes were implemented, the traders’ body had refused to accept the suggestions regarding shifting of the transformers.
The court has also directed the Shahajahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) board to call for a prior meeting (before August 16) to sort out the matter. The directive came after objections were raised by DUAC officials on July 16 meeting stating that the heritage look of Chandni Chowk will be compromised if the transformers were installed on the central verge.
“At the meeting, while issues related to location of toilets, police posts were resolved, there was a difference between the implementing agencies and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) on the issue of placement of the transformers on the central verge,” said Sanjay Bhargava, president Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapaar Mandal.
While SRDC and BSES relied on the Central Electricity Authority’s report, DUAC’s argument was substantiated with the inputs from professor Abhijit R Abhyankar, electrical engineer IIT-Delhi, and BS Rawat, executive engineer (electrical), JNU, said the minutes of meetings shared with the court.
Since the disagreement between the agencies was on technical grounds such as the type of transformers (dry or oil-type transformers) and the fuel to be used in them, the LG asked SRDC to take the final decision.
On Tuesday, the court, however, clarified that the decision taken by the SRDC board would further be presented before a joint committee and then the final decision would be conveyed to the court in the next hearing on September 2.
“At the upcoming joint meeting, we will raise the issue of making a provision for two toilet blocks on the central verge, as conceived in the original plan. There were toilets constructed on pavement illegally earlier,” said Bhargava.
The traders also maintained that they were against the installation of transformers on the pavements. Earlier in June, DUAC had submitted a detailed report recommending major changes in the redevelopment plan. While some of the changes were implemented, the traders’ body had refused to accept the suggestions regarding shifting of the transformers.
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