Land use of Millennium bus depot can't be changed: DDA to HC

The Delhi High Court was on Monday informed by civic agency DDA that it cannot change the land use of the area where Millennium Bus Depot is built from "river and water-body" (Zone 'O') to "Transportation".

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) filed an affidavit before a division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice and Jayant Nath stating that "change of land use cannot be processed".

The Delhi Transport Corporation had sought direction to DDA to change land use of the Millennium Bus Depot land so that the temporary construction on "O" zone can be made permanent according to the master plan, as the Delhi government has decided not to vacate the site.

The bus depot, built at a cost of Rs.60 crore for the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Yamuna river bed, is to be used for parking buses by changing the land use, the DTC had told the court.

On January 15 last year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered relocation of the depot, but, in a complete U-turn the AAP government in August told the court that more buses are being added in the fleet for which additional parking space is required.

However, the land owning agency, in its latest affidavit said: "The prayer of the applicant (DTC) cannot be acceded to and the change of land use cannot be processed."

"The change of landuse of the land at IP Ash Pond, Ring Road opposite to Millennium Park measuring 51.06 acre out of 61.59 acre from 'River & Water-Body' to 'Transportation' in MPD-2021, for DTC bus depot can not be processed particularly in view of the fact that land owning agency, L&DO objected to change of landuse dated September 02, 2013 and has not forwarded any NOC so far," the affidavit said.

DDA also said it has allotted a total of 46.33 acres of land to DTC for setting up alternate bus depots including 20 acres at Rohini, Phase-V, Rani Khera, 16 acres at Integrated Passenger Terminal, Anand Vihar, and 10 acres in Narela.

The court posted the matter for September 21.