As for the builders, they are caught in between. “We have submitted all our plans for approval but due to absence of clarity between DMRC and MCD, we are all stuck,” says an MGF spokesperson not wishing to be named.

Similar is the plight of Uppal Housing. In September 2003, the same time that MGF got its Khyber Pass plot, Uppal bought a 21,954-square m plot near the Dwarka Mor Metro station for a group housing residential complex. Four years down the line, it is waiting for MCD clearance to start construction.

The price of this MCD vs DMRC war is rising. “This is all Grade A land which is generally not available in this city anymore,” says Jayant Verma, executive director (north) with Knight Frank (India) Private Limited. “The location is prime and a lot is riding on the development of these plots. It will impact the commercial value of these areas. The longer the delay, the more it will push up construction cost. The real question is how much delay.” The answer to this question is still not clear. In one of its string of letters to DMRC and MCD, Uppal Housing said: “Refusal of MCD (town planning department) to approve/sanction our building plans and layout...question(s) the vesting of legal title by the DMRC. All these have resulted in huge financial losses to us and our business reputation and goodwill is at very high stake.”

The MCD disagreed. At a meeting in January 2007, it rejected Uppal’s request saying the auction itself violated the terms on which land was allotted to DMRC. All other plans are being similarly rejected. For Parsvnath Builders, which bought seven plots for commercial development — it also has the contract for the Games village and the Akshardham Metro station — this has been a big blow. “All our plans for Delhi are on hold,” says a company official. “It all depends now on what happens to the MCD-DMRC battle.”

... contd.