1. Sector-B, Pocket-1, Vasant Kunj is a Self Financing Scheme (S FS) of the DDA conceived in 1985 and consists of 1021 low-rise (4 floors) SFS flats occupied by nearly 5000 residents. There are two senior secondary schools abutting the boundary wall of B-1 Vasant Kunj – Masonic Public School and Government Secondary School with student population of more than 2000 each and two nursery/montessori schools within the B-1 premises. There is a super specialty hospital namely, Fortis Hospital, which abuts B-1 boundary wall. While B-1 colony was being developed in 1985 or so, a piece of land measuring 06 Bigha & 07 Biswa (5309.40 sq metre) was not acquired by the DDA for inexplicable reasons. In the approved layout plan of B-1 which was published in September 1983 for intending purchasers, DDA had planned 48 numbers of SFS flats and other facilities such as parks, parking, roads etc., on the subject land. Despite numerous representations by the Residents’ Welfare Association to the public authorities from time to time, DDA failed to acquire the subject land since 1989, and resultantly it remained in the possession of the private owners. Recently, MCD has approved construction of a luxury multi-storied housing project on the subject land, which consists of two towers, each with 9 floors and a stilt and another tower with four floors. The super luxury multi-storied buildings will have three level basements measuring approx 7052 sq metre and will contain 72 dwelling units and 64 C.S.P and EWS dwelling units. The height of multi-storied towers will be 33.25 metre as against the 15 metre height of surrounding DDA SFS flats. The residential population proposed to occupy luxury towers is approx. 800 persons.
2. As per MPD-2021, group housing plot should be located on roads facing a minimum width of 18 metre (60 feet) right of way. The plot in question is located on roads facing a minimum width of less than 10 metre, which are internal residential roads of B-1 colony. Further, group housing plots should be located in isolated locations/standalone with separate entry and exit to the plot. The said land, on the contrary, is located in the middle of B-1 colony and has no separate entry/exit to the said plot. The said plot can be accessed only through B-1 colony gates and the internal roads of B-1 colony. Hence, the plot in question does not qualify for a “Group Housing” plot in accordance with Clause 4.4.3B of the MPD-2021. However, by sleight of hand, DDA has integrated privately owned land with the existing SFS B-1 group housing scheme and the entire B-1 colony has been deemed to be a group housing plot. After merging the said plot with B-1, group housing norms as per MPD 2021 (increased FAR, high rise upto 40 m) have to be applied to the whole B1. To implement MPD2021 norms minimum 70% of owners needs to agree for redevelopment.
(a) If B-1 colony has become a group housing plot, each block of 10 flats is now eligible for redevelopment as per MPD 2021 with greater FAR and high-rise (upto 40 metre), at the discretion of residents of that block. Will DDA give such permission to each block of B-1?
(b) Can there be partial redevelopment of B-1 as per MPD-2021 to the exclusion of 1021 SFS flats and without concurrence of existing B1 residents?
(e) If DDA is keen on redeveloping the DDA colony as per MPD 2021, then it should take over entire B-1 and redevelop it. Planning has to be done with respect to the entire area and not in bits and pieces.
5. The existing B-1 colony was planned for a particular number of flats. The present infrastructure is not geared to accommodate an additional number of super luxury residential units. Moreover, any new large scale construction as per MPD 2021 in a fully occupied B-1 colony will wreak havoc with overstretched infrastructure (road, water, sewage, electricity etc). If group housing norms as per MPD 2021 is to be applied to B-1 housing scheme, will DDA create new infrastructure to handle an additional load within a built-up neighbour-hood. For instance, B1 colony suffers from water scarcity. Also, DDA and MCD have not taken into account important factors such as the number of people living in B-1 colony, their age groups, school students, patients in the hospital, the number of vehicles, the capacity of existing sewage networks, storm water drains, the capacity of underground storage water reservoir, traffic flow, etc., while sanctioning group housing project on privately owned land.
