Unabated commercialization of Defence Colony

To,

Commissioner SDMC, Hon'ble Manish Gupta

Dy. Commissioner SDMC, Hon'ble Rupesh Kr. Thakur

Sir,

Re: Unabated commercialization of Defence Colony

I bring to your attention with great concern, the unabated and rampant use of this residential colony for commercial activity, which now seems to be on the trajectory of becoming the next Lajpat Nagar of South Delhi.

Defence Colony has been a sedate, peaceful and tranquil colony of South Delhi, which unfortunately, over the last few years is getting destroyed by it being increasingly used for commercial activity. Since SDMC is the nodal agency for monitoring all building activity, from plans to construction to completion certification, any inappropriate usage in relation to sanctioned plans would be deemed as misuse, and to check the misuse would come in the realm of monitoring by the Corporation. If such misuse remains unchecked, it clearly points out to the inaction of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which eventually will be construed as complicity.

Consequently, by default, since the buck stops with you sir, SDMC, at the present moment has the dubious distinction of overseeing the destruction of South Delhi residential areas by permitting commercial activity, i.e. the use of residential buildings for showrooms, offices doctor & lawyer chambers, hospitals, clinics, banks et al. In this regard, we specifically draw your attention to our Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024, and wish to say such activity must be stopped forthwith, and status quo restored.

Often enough when such conversations occur, recourse is taken to the mixed land use policy. However, the mixed land use specifically limits activity on the outer roads only, and that too on the ground floor. The present situation is most basements are being used as offices, doctor lawyer’s chambers and so on, where basements can only be used for domestic storage. The various RTI’s raised by me on you elicit the response asking me to refer to the Master Plan of Delhi 2021. I would prevail upon you Sirs, not to ask me to refer me to the 'Master Plan of Delhi 2021', which clearly gives limited permission to some commercial activity, not to rampant commercialization as is happening in Defence Colony and South Delhi.

Therefore, residents of this colony seek the following under the citizens charter,

1) Why in the residential colony of Defence Colony, are businesses and commercial activity being permitted to establish themselves?

2) Under which law is the SDMC granting such permissions?

3) If permissions are not granted by SDMC, how is such commercial activity flourishing?

4) What steps has MCD /SDMC taken to prevent such activity?

Since all these pertinent questions are of great concern to us residents, we would request you to provide suitable clarification to the above raised points.

Yours faithfully

Rajeev Suri

D68 Defence Colony

New Delhi 110024

Mobile :9810304580                                                      Dated 21.05.2014