DDA nod to allotment of land for Ravidas temple, development of sports complex

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority on Friday approved the allotment of a 400 square metres plot for the construction of Guru Ravidas Temple in Jahanpanah city forest. The decision to allot the land for the temple was taken at the authority meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. 

​The temple was demolished in August 2019 following a Supreme Court order, which had triggered massive protests across the country.

The Delhi government had promised to construct a new temple at the same site. It had later approached the Centre and the land owning agency to initiate the process of denotification of the land from the forest category. The Supreme Court, in October, had directed the Centre to rebuild the temple at the same spot Treating the allotment as an exception, the authority dispensed with the auction of the land.

Change in land use of the plot in question from recreational to public and semi-public for religious purpose has also been recommended. A statement said that a public notice would be issued inviting objections or suggestions from the public for this purpose. In the meeting, the authority accorded approvals to several other proposals including the inclusion of stockists and dealers of medicines and drugs in mixed use regulations in the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021.

With the amendment, chemists and distribution authorities can run their establishments in residential areas. To provide modern sports facilities in east Delhi, the authority also allowed change of land use of 19,800 sqm plot from recreational to semi-public in Shastri Park for the development of Community Sports Complex. 

To enable development of privately owned lands, conversion—30 per cent of circle rate for residential use—charges have also been recommended.

There will be no separate betterment charges. For other usages such as — industrial, service, health facilities and other institutional use, conversion charges will be 1.5 times. If other commercial or socio cultural activities are carried out, the charges will be two times and for a hotel, it will be 2.5 times. The External Development Charges (EDC) charges would be levied at the rate of Rs 5,000 per sqm.

“For land parcels in use for any activity prior to 1962, no conversion charges will be payable. However, in case the occupier of such land intends to change the land use, in such cases, he will be required to pay the differential charges,” said the statement issued by the DDA. 

The proposal will be sent to Ministry of Home and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for approval before final notification.