To tide over govt housing shortage,power gets a new address in South Delhi

Reducing backlog

Pressed with a piling backlog of requests for government accommodation,and pressure from politicians and bureaucrats alike to provide accommodation in the Capital,the Union Urban Development Ministry initiated the process of redeveloping existing government colonies and constructing new ones,two years ago.

The UD Ministry,through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD),provides and maintains as many as 64,208 government flats in its general pool of residential accommodation. This is apart from the accommodation provided to VVIPs,VIPs and other ministries. Following the Ministry’s decision,the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had relaxed land and building norms in areas where government colonies are located,allowing buildings here to grow vertically and spaces to be developed commercially. This would allow the government to auction plots to private players and use the funds raised for constructing flats and bungalows for government officials.

Self-contained campus

NBCC Chairman and Managing Director Vishnu P Das says that is how the pilot project at Netaji Nagar was modelled. A 3-acre plot was auctioned to the Leela Kempinski hotel for Rs 611 crore — the funds were used to construct the new campus. “We actually saved Rs 100 crore. It’s a self-contained colony with a sewage treatment plant (STP) that recycles water for its lawns,solar water heaters for every building and solar lamps for streetlighting. We have also made sure that the forest area is untouched,”said Das.

Spread over 123 acres in the heart of the city,the campus has a club,a shopping area,swimming pool,jogging tracks and a tight security system with gates and scanners.

Next in line: Kidwai Nagar

The Cabinet has already granted approval to completely redevelop Kidwai Nagar,another government housing colony,Das pointed out. “While the Netaji Nagar project will be complete this July and Secretaries have already moved in,the Kidwai Nagar project will take a few more years. We are at the stage of getting approvals for financing. The older colony will be completely demolished and 4,700 units — from Type II (for lower-ranked officers) to Type VII (for Secretary-level officers) — will be constructed as multi-storeyed buildings,” said Das. Like the Netaji Nagar colony,Kidwai Nagar has also been planned as a self-sustaining colony,he added,and for a look that will defy what the average Delhiite thinks is “government”,British designers Chapman Taylor have been hired.

The NBCC is also looking at two plots in Gurgaon where government housing can come up. The CPWD is,meanwhile,working on projects in Aliganj (for Type-II and Type-III houses),Sunheri Bagh (Type-VI and VII houses) and Devnagar (Type-IV and V houses) at present.

The Delhi government has also decided to tackle the lack of housing for its officers on a war footing and is coming up with 2,468 flats in Dheerpur. “Many Delhi government officers do not have accommodation right now and live in rented accommodation. The Dheerpur flats — from Type-II to Type-IV — will be 14-storeyed,two and three-bedroom flats on stilts. The complex will be spread over 42 acres,” said engineer-in-chief of the PWD Rakesh Mishra.

More government flats are to come up in Hakikat Nagar and Friends Colony.