BJP and Cong bigwigs skip DDA hearing

NEW DELHI: Several BJP and Congress members were among the 556 people invited for the public hearing at the Delhi Development Authority’s headquarters on Saturday, but most heavyweights remained missing.
BJP has been pursuing the matter to provide relief to traders and has held several meetings with the Union housing and urban affairs ministry and SC-appointed monitoring committee.However, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari — who was among those invited — didn’t come for the hearing.
When contacted, Tiwari said, “I didn’t get an invite for the hearing. But we have prepared a list of our suggestions after several rounds of meetings with various stakeholders. BJP has presented the views before the committee through our spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor. He attended the hearing on behalf of the party.”
A statement issued by Delhi BJP, however, said Tiwari had not filed suggestions regarding the proposed amendments in the master plan. “He had filed suggestions on household industry policy covered under section 7.4 of MPD-2021 and demanded amendment in it. This was not part of the two day hearing at DDA,” said Kapoor.
On Friday, Vijender Gupta, leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly and member of DDA’s board of inquiry hearing the matter, had questioned the “seriousness of the ruling AAP government” after many didn’t attend the public hearing, which is not mandatory to attend.
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Maken had also filed his suggestions to the proposed amendment. DDA officials said that all those who had filed their suggestions/objections were invited for the hearing. Maken said that he did not attend the hearing as he already gave his suggestions. “I have given my detailed suggestions in writing to DDA. That is good enough,” he added.
He said that there was no need for any amendment in the master plan. “The 1962 and 2001 master plan declared a few areas as commercial. Shops in these areas can get 250 FAR. There is no need for an amendment in the master plan,” said Maken.
Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit was also mentioned in the list of people invited for the public hearing, as she had sent her suggestions. However, she was also not present on Saturday. TOI couldn’t contact her despite repeated attempts.
South Delhi mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat, too, sent her suggestions to DDA but did not come for the public hearing. “I got the invite, but I didn’t go as it would have been difficult to present the views due to the rush there. I sent my suggestions in writing,” Sehrawat said.
BJP national secretary RP Singh also didn’t come for hearing. “I couldn’t attend the hearing as I was pursuing an important matter regarding 1984 Sikh riots. I was busy with it,” said Singh.