Civic Centre may add to chaos
30 July 2004. The Hindu. New Delhi
The ambitious and controversial 28-storey Civic Centre of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi goes against the National Capital Region (NCR) concept as by providing huge office and commercial space it would attract businessmen and corporate bodies from satellite townships like Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad.
According to sources in the NCR Planning Board, the buildings when completed would be of international standards, but it would only add to the chaos in the Capital.
After nearly 15 long years, construction of the Civic Centre is now expected to begin within the next few months. The Congress ruled-MCD has approached the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, for its foundation laying ceremony on October 2. However, the function would be given another name as its foundation stone has been laid twice already, the first one by the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when he was the Leader of Opposition.
The MCD had recently approached the NCRPB for financial assistance to construct the building, which is likely to cost about Rs. 500 crores. Incidentally this is for the first time that the NCRPB has been approached for a loan for a project in the Capital. “This is a positive development, but unfortunately we would not be able to finance it because the Civic Centre is against the Regional Plan objectives. Its construction would only help in further congestion of the Capital. So far our entire objective has been to shift offices and commercial establishments out of Delhi. Construction of such building that too in the heart of the city near Connaught Place, ITO and New Delhi Railway Station runs contrary to the NCR concept,” the official said.
It is understood that the NCRPB has sought certain clarifications from the MCD before formally saying “no” for any loan to the civic body.
The Civic Centre, expected to be completed by 2007, would be the tallest building of the Capital and would have a floor area of 1.16 lakh sq. mts of which 50 per cent would be commercial offices and 50 per institutional space. It would have parking space for as many as 2,500 vehicles. As many as 44 high-speed lifts would be installed in the building. The MCD is planning to launch a massive campaign and conduct road shows for selling the commercial space.
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