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RWAs appeal to 'neighbour' President Mukherjee to save neighbourhood

A delegation headed by Ashutosh Dixit, founder of CA along with Laveesh Bhandari (treasurer), advocate Vivek Sharma (general secretary) and presidents of other Resident Welfare Associations from GK-II, Chittaranjan Park and Alaknanda presented their petition to the president.

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A delegation from Citizen's Alliance (CA), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), which is fighting to stop a mega mall from coming up in south-east Delhi's Alaknanda area, recently went to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on September 30 to plead their case. Incidentally, the president also happens to own a house in neighbouring Greater Kailash (GK-II) area, where currently his daughter Sharmistha stays.

A delegation headed by Ashutosh Dixit, founder of CA along with Laveesh Bhandari (treasurer), advocate Vivek Sharma (general secretary) and presidents of other Resident Welfare Associations from GK-II, Chittaranjan Park and Alaknanda presented their petition to the president.

During the meeting that lasted 15 minutes, the delegation said that the proposed mall being built by Reliance would ruin their neighborhood. They also contended that the proposed site of the mall, would be in a largely residential neighborhood. This was in direct violation of Delhi's Master Plan 2001 and 2021.

Sharma says, "A mega mall of this size (at 7.3 lakh square feet) - touted to be the second largest in the country, can only be located in a District Centre with a minimum area of 40 hectares. The proposed plot size earmarked for the mall in Alaknanda, opposite Kalka Public School, is merely 3.7 acres."

The delegation also contended that if the project came up, this would also lead to an increase in crime, drugs, congestion, water shortage and various other problems.

Bhandari, who attended the meeting said, "The president heard us out and read our petition. He asked us relevant questions pertaining to the location of the mall and its impact."

The President's office has now forwarded the letter to the secretary, ministry of Urban Development for their reference.

The CA, who have been fighting the case against the mall, won another small victory in July when a division-bench at the Delhi High Court headed by Justices Bader Durrez Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar directed a committee of the Commissioner (Planning) and the Commissioner (Land Disposal) of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to "examine this matter" and to take a "final and definitive decision within eight weeks."

The eight weeks have since lapsed and there has been no communication from DDA. The August 5 meeting between DDA officials and members of CA was also inconclusive.

History of the proposed mall

2002: A slum on the proposed land is cleared with the intent to create a playground cum sports facility.

2004: DDA allowed for the creation of a mall in direct violation of Delhi's Master Plan 2001 and 2021.

2006: DDA got a traffic study done based on the presumption that a community centre is being built

In response to an RTI, CA was informed that the Delhi Traffic Study Police based their study on the presumption that a community centre was coming up on the proposed site. The footfalls at a community centre is far less than the expected footfall at a Mega/Hyper Mall.

In another RTI filed, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) admitted that they were unaware that the proposed site was opposite Kalka Public School.

2008: The plot is sold to Reliance without informing the local community.

2012: The local community, now informed of the plans for a mall, start their protest.

2013: The Citizens Alliance file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court (DHC) seeking a stay on the construction of the mall.

2016: A division-bench at the DHC direct a committee of the Commissioner (Planning) and the Commissioner (Land Disposal) of the DDA to "examine this matter" and to take a "final and definitive decision within eight weeks."

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