PWD says no road near Alaknanda mall

NEW DELHI: Contrary to the claims of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi government’s public works department (PWD) has said that that there is no road connecting Shaheed Surya Sen Marg, a colony road in Alaknanda, to the arterial Sudarshan Munjal Road. The land-owning agency had sold 3.7 acres land for construction of a mall in the area on the basis of the “missing” road.
In an RTI reply, PWD has clearly stated that “Shaheed Surya Sen Marg connects DDA market at one end and Alaknanda Road at another end”, but it doesn’t connect to Sudarshan Munjal Marg.The RTI was filed by Vivek Sharma, an advocate and a resident of NRI Complex in Alaknanda, who had also written to Prime Minister’s Office regarding the issue.
“To justify its decision to allot the land meant for a community centre to a private firm for construction of a mall, DDA has been insisting that there is a road connecting Shaheed Surya Sen Road with Sudarshan Munjal Marg,” Sharma said. “But now PWD has clearly stated that the two roads are not connected. The area pointed out in the zonal map where DDA claims the road exists is occupied by houses and a school,” he added.
For the past five years, residents of Alaknanda have been opposing the construction of the mall as it will lead of massive traffic jams in the area that has residential colonies like GK-II, CR Park, etc, around it. The residents had approached Delhi high court in 2013 in this regard, which had directed DDA to form a committee and review the matter.
“We reviewed the matter following the court’s direction and the decision to allow construction of the mall was found to be as per norms. The zonal plans show that a road near the site is connected to the arterial road. We have submitted the committee’s report to the court,” said a senior DDA official.
Laveesh Bhandari, president, Citizens’ Alliance, said, “Permission for construction of the mall has been given on the assumption that a road near it is connected to an arterial road. A large commercial centre will result in massive traffic congestion in the residential area.” In April, RWAs had filed a complaint at CR Park police station over the “missing road”.