No excuses now for Delhi govt

NEW DELHI: Control over Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will undergo a change of hands, if Parliament passes the statehood bill in this session. The Union cabinet on Monday decided to part with the control over land, but keep law and order in its control.
"The state government will now exercise control over the land in the city. They will decide the course of development in the city," a senior DDA official said.
As of now it''s the Union government which decides on development, be it housing or development of commercial and institutional areas in the city.
This will have direct impact on the real-estate. "The state government''s decisions will then decide property prices," he said.
The land-use pattern of the city will also be decided by the state government. "Delhi government interacts with the city''s residents on a more regular basis. It will be able to implement its vision of the city''s development in a more systematic manner and allow proper land use," another official said.
Therefore, the Master Plan for Delhi will be systematically worked out by the state government. "Delhi government will then chalk-out the plan, after examining the needs of the city," he said.
With DDA under its belt, Delhi government will also be responsible to protect land. "It will have the mandate to stop encroachments of government-owned land and growth of unauthorised colonies and slums," he said.
Will DDA become a better-managed system, DDA officials are unsure.
"Is Municipal Corporation of Delhi a better-managed place? Is it less corrupt?" questioned one of the directors in DDA.
DDA vice chairman Anil Baijal, however, refused to comment. "I am not yet aware of the blueprint of the bill. So would not like to comment on this," he said.