The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Thursday invited over 1,200 people who had put forth their objections and suggestions to the proposed Central Vista for a public hearing.
Following changes in the land use by the urban body for the proposed modification of the Central Vista, the DDA had invited the public to register their objections and suggestions.
Those with objections to the proposed plans said that there seemed to be a “mad rush” to implement the plans for the new Central Vista without a “multi-layered consultation” and that it would not help decongest the city.
Architect Swanzal Kak Kapoor, one of those to forward objections to the DDA said, “The primary objection is that the plan deviates from the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 and this cannot happen overnight. There needs to be expert consultation from various fields and cannot happen through internal government decisions. At a time when green spaces are needed desperately, you cannot possibly take away public spaces like this.”
Adding that felling of full grown trees is also likely to take place due to the project, Ms. Kapoor said, “A three-level basement has been proposed. If that happens, there will be no land left for new trees to grow. The real concern is that what will be lost cannot be replaced.”
Environmentalist Chetan Aggarwal who had also forwarded his objections to the DDA said, “Apart from the massive felling of trees which will take place, the other concern is that institutions like the National Archives, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and others are meant for the public. Converting these into office spaces would mean that spaces meant for public will shrink.”
Stating that the MPD-2021 entails decongesting the Capital, Anil Sood who attended the public hearing said, “You cannot change the land use based only on photos and not a proper blueprint. The MPD-2021 talks of decongesting the city but the same DDA is changing the land use to multiply congestion.”
Ms. Kapoor added, “It took two years for the IGNCA to be designed. How can the plan for something like the Central Vista be finalised within three weeks? The government has every right to make changes but the revisualisation cannot be done by 3-4 people only.”
