Depot shifting: DDA expresses inability in providing plot

The DDA today expressed inability before the Delhi High Court in providing alternative piece of land to city government for shifting out the DTC Millennium bus depot, built at a cost of Rs 60 crore on the fragile Yamuna river bed ahead of 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has recently given an undertaking before the court that it will vacate the land and shift the DTC bus depot to some other place by October 31 this year.
However, land developing agency DDA told Justice S K Mishra that "there is a scarcity of land in the city and moreover, as of now, there is no proposal (from DTC, Delhi govt) for allotment of alternate plot is under consideration before us."

"Where they will go? You take instruction," the court said and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.
During the hearing, advocate Sumeet Pushkarna, appearing for DTC, said that it was willing to shift, but the land has to be made available to it.
Earlier, the government had sought one year's time for shifting the DTC depot but the court gave it nine months time to do the needful.

The court had expressed its displeasure at the delay by the government in the matter.
The counsel for the DTC had said that a meeting was called by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with various stakeholders including Transport Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, Chief Secretary S K Srivastava and officials from DDA, DTC and DJB, wherein it was decided to remove the depot.

Accepting the need for a bus depot to cater to a large population of commuters in the city, the high court had earlier granted to the city government time till March 12, 2013 to amend the Master Plan and change the use of the land from river and water body to transportation.
The order was passed on a plea of environmentalist Anand Arya against the depot being constructed on flood plain which was earmarked in the Master Plan for recreational activities like biological park etc.