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Urban Planning

DDA amends policy, installing lifts now easier

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The Times of India       16.09.2014 

DDA amends policy, installing lifts now easier

 

NEW DELHI: Installing lifts at DDA apartment blocks in the capital is set to become easier with the Authority scrapping a clause requiring an affidavit stating that no modifications have been made to the building's terrace.

The affidavit was the biggest impediment in applications for installing lifts. Over the last few months, several residents and RWAs have written to the Urban development ministry seeking scrapping of the clause. Residents had argued that, in some cases, the flats were over two decades old and that to expect no alterations to the terrace was impractical since the authority has turned a blind eye to the issue all this while.

The policy on lifts, which has been revised several times, was last amended on September 1. In March, Delhi Development Authority had also made it mandatory for residents to get an NOC from residents of the building's ground-floor flat while installing lifts. However, due to a poor response from residents, this clause was later scrapped. A 21-day deadline for processing applications for lifts was also put in place.

"We have been tweaking the policy to make it suitable for everyone. While considering the clause, we felt unauthorized construction was a separate issue that should not be mixed with granting permissions. So, we decided to do away with the clause and simplify the process for residents," said Balvinder Kumar, vice-chairperson, DDA.

Another reason why the authority decided to do away with the clause is because DDA doesn't use of lifts till the terrace, so having a restriction based on modifications to the terrace didn't make sense.

DDA officials said they have received 56 applications since the policy was amended. Three of these have already been sanctioned and other applications are being considered. "We have contacted residents in cases where the paperwork is not complete. So far, we have tried to avoid turning down any applications," said an official, adding that most applications are Vasant Kunj and Alaknanda.

Some residents feel the police on installing lifts should be simplified further. "There is a clause that puts the lift application in abeyance if any party takes the issue to the court. This can happen if a resident, in most cases it may be the people living on the ground floor, takes objection to the plan. The process will become simpler if DDA itself identifies the land on which to build the lift," said R K Sareen, president, Nehru Apartment RWA, Kalkaji.

The revised policy will benefit around 4 lakh homeowners. In the amended form, it has eight requirements that applicants need to fulfil—a recommendation by the lift manufacturer, certificate from a registered structural engineer, four sets of building plans, consent of at least 50% residents who use stairs, certificate mandating proposing members bear installation and operational costs, NOC from the RWA, indemnity bond against claims and NOC from the chief fire officer. DDA amends policy, installing lifts now easier 

 

DDA clamps down on illegal constructions

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The Hindu           09.09.2014 

DDA clamps down on illegal constructions

The Delhi Development Authority has undertaken a major drive for removal of all unauthorised rooms, additions and alterations being carried out by the occupants of its flats at D-6, Vasant Kunj.

A statement by the Authority said the drive has been ordered by vice-chairman Balwinder Kumar. It involves both sealing and removal of all such additions and alterations.

The DDA said it had come to its notice that a number of occupants of flats had constructed rooms on the terrace in Narmada, Saraswati, Yamuna and Ganga apartments. Such illegalities were observed in over 282 flats. In addition, construction of an additional room on government land was noted to have been done by the allottees of all the floors in a block.

Stating that all the allottees/occupants had been advised to remove these unauthorised constructions on the top floor or on the common portions of land, the DDA said these constructions included addition of a room right from the ground level to top floors. It said the occupants were informed that non-compliance would lead to penal action as per the provisions of law. The penal action includes demolition, sealing of the flat, disconnection of electricity or water to the premises, the Authority said.

 

Seminar on disaster management held

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The Hindu        04.09.2014  

Seminar on disaster management held

The capital city is the only one in the State to be chosen among eight cities in the country to benefit from the Climate Risk Management Project in Urban Areas through Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation project, being jointly implemented by the Union government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

The State's nodal agency, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, decided to take it one step further by organising a day-long awareness seminar for municipalities across Kerala on the best practices and tools they need to be equipped with.

Deputy Mayor G. Happykumar inaugurated the seminar held here on Wednesday. Over 50 participants representing municipalities attended the workshop, which was moderated by G. Padmanabhan, head of UNDP’s India disaster management unit. National Programme Coordinator of the Climate Risk Management Project Aabha Mishra was also present. 

The Disaster Management Cell of the capital was set up at the Corporation in 2010 and since then one of the key priorities has been to integrate climate risk reduction measures with development activities. This year, the cell has already organised training programmes for trade union workers in a bid to ‘enhance community capacities to manage climate risk in urban areas,’ officials said. 

The objective of the seminar was to share the best practices in disaster mitigation through case studies which were discussed through the day.

The concept of training local people to be the ‘first responders,’ in particular, was discussed.

The objective was to share the best practices in disaster mitigation through case studies.

 


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