Govt will soon file affidavit in SC on Delhi Master Plan

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said today the government would soon file an affidavit in the Supreme Court related to amendment in the Delhi Master Plan 2021.
His remarks came after the apex court today took strong exception to the non-filing of affidavits by the Delhi government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and municipal corporation of Delhi (MCDs) on whether an environment impact assessment was conducted before proposing amendment to the city's Master Plan.
Puri, the housing urban affairs minister, said the government would soon file the affidavit in the Supreme Court.
The DDA, an autonomous body, is attached to the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

"There are difficulties with the master plan. You know a city is a growing entity, a city is subjected to demographic pressures. People are moving to cities from villages for economic opportunities. So a master plan of any city must be flexible and should able to absorb the upcoming changes," he told reporters at the BJP headquarters while responding to a question on the order.
Puri said he along with the Lt Governor, the DDA vice chairman sat together for a week or ten days to find the solution to the issues such as Floor Area Ratio (FAR), conversion charges and others.

"So we developed a plan that was placed before DDA and it was passed by the authority last week. Now our law officer, the additional solicitor general, will place this solution in the form of affidavit before the court. Then court will take the view," he said.
The minister expressed hope that the Supreme Court, looking at the realities of the national capital, "will give the order which will be good for the citizens of the Delhi".