Latest news with #GPRA
Indian Express
23-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Govt housing project in Kasturba Nagar: Delhi L-G V K Saxena grants exemption to consider requests for cutting trees on nearly 9 hectares
Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has granted an exemption to allow the processing of tree-cutting and transplantation requests over an area larger than the usual one-hectare limit for a government housing project at Kasturba Nagar Phase-II. This allows the tree officer to decide on the felling or transplantation request for 856 trees that will be affected by the proposed construction. According to the gazette notification dated June 13 and made public Sunday, the exemption has been given for 8.90 hectares of land where the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) plans to construct General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA). The project site falls under the jurisdiction of the South Forest Division. Under Section 9(3) of the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, applications for felling or transplantation of trees are typically allowed only for areas of up to one hectare. However, since the GPRA project involves a much larger area, the tree officer of the South Forest Division had written to the government seeking special permission. Acting on this request, L-G Saxena, using the powers available under Section 29 of the DPTA, approved the exemption for the full 8.90 hectares. The notification stated that the exemption is being granted 'in public interest' to facilitate the construction of government housing at the site. However, the exemption does not mean permission to cut or transplant trees has been granted. The notification emphasised that this step is only meant to allow the tree officer to consider the application for such a large area legally. The initial request to fell or transplant 856 trees within the project site is to be scrutinised independently and separately by the tree officer under DPTA 1994 provisions. As per the notification, the tree officer will consider the application independently under all applicable laws, rules, guidelines, and court directions. The officer must also 'minimise the number of affected trees to be transplanted/felled from within the exempted area' while reviewing the proposal. The boundaries of the exempted 8.90 hectares of land have been marked in detail, and the geo-coordinates shared in the notification.
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Delhi LG exempts 8.9-hectare site from tree curbs for GPRA
Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena has granted a special area exemption under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, allowing a tree officer to take a decision on 856 trees that may fall in the way of a General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) at Kasturba Nagar Phase-II over an area of 8.9 hectares, according to a gazette notification. Delhi LG VK Saxena. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO) The exemption, granted under Section 29 of the Act in 'public interest', formally allows the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to seek permission on from the tree officer. To be sure, tree officers can only take a decision on an area of one hectare, in usual circumstances. The exemption, issued via a gazette notification on June 13 but made public on Sunday, read: '… in public interest, (the LG) exempts an area of 8.90 hectares… from the limitation of maximum one hectare area under sub-section (3) of Section 9 of the said Act for construction of General Pool Residential Accommodation at Kasturba Nagar Phase-II, New Delhi under Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994.' This is the fourth instance that the provision has been invoked in recent weeks. Last week, it was applied to a 115.88-hectare construction site for the redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station. Prior to that, it was applied to two other sites, pertaining to Common Central Secretariat buildings and a flyover in northeast Delhi. While the exemption clears a key procedural hurdle, it does not constitute approval for cutting or transplanting any trees. It merely enables the designated tree officer to examine an application, which had previously been ineligible for consideration because of the site's size. 'This notification... shall not be considered as permission for transplantation/felling of trees,' the Act states. Upon receiving an application, the tree officer—the deputy conservator of forest (south division) in this case—will independently scrutinise the application, comprising due diligence under the DPTA, the Delhi Preservation of Trees Rules, 1996, and compliance with any court directions. 'The tree officer must apply due diligence and aim to minimise the number of trees affected by the project,' the gazette reads. Section 29 of the DPTA gives power to the government to provide exemption, citing public interest. Section 9(3), meanwhile, allows a tree officer to only consider up to one hectare in area for a project. The exemption essentially allows an area of more than one hectare to be considered by a tree officer. The Kasturba Nagar GPRA project is part of the Centre's plan to redevelop seven GPRA colonies across south Delhi. Of these, three are being handled by NBCC, while CPWD is in charge of four—two of them, Mohammadpur and Thyagraj Nagar, have already been completed. The remaining two—Kasturba Nagar and Srinivaspuri—are under construction. HT reported last month how the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) had, for the second time, rejected the revised proposal for the project after raising concerns over inadequate planning, inefficient land use and poor compliance with its earlier observations. Under Phase 2 of the Kasturba Nagar project, plans are afoot to create over 3,500 housing units in total, an anganwadi, convenience shops, a coaching centre, a banquet hall, a podium and a residential complex comprising 25 towers. In a notification published on June 17, the LG issued an exemption to a 115.88-hectare site for the redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station, with 887 trees falling in its way. On June 6, Saxena issued a similar exemption for a 5.037-hectare site at the Common Central Secretariat project, involving 476 trees. A day earlier, he cleared a 2.16-hectare stretch for a flyover at the Nand Nagri–Gagan Cinema junction, where 27 trees are affected. Opposition parties, however, criticised the move. Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav called the decision an 'environmental disaster'. 'This is a double blow to both the environment and social justice. The soul of Delhi resides in its slums, and its breath comes from its trees, and if both are destroyed, Delhi will face an existential crisis,' Yadav said. The BJP did not respond to a request for comment.
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Delhi HC issues notice on AAP's plea against cancellation of state party office allotment
New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has issued a notice regarding the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s petition challenging the 'ex parte' cancellation of its State Party Office allotment by the Directorate of Estates, along with the subsequent imposition of market-rate rent for the premises. Justice Sachin Datta has scheduled the matter for hearing on August 12. According to the plea, AAP was allotted Double Suite No. 514, VP House, New Delhi, as office space in its capacity as a duly recognised State Party under the existing rules and office memoranda governing government residence allocations. The petition alleges that the Directorate of Estates unilaterally revoked the allotment through an ex parte order dated September 14, 2024, without prior notice or consultation. The party claims it was informed of the cancellation months later, on January 17, 2025, via a letter from Directorate of Estates, which directed compliance with the order. However, AAP asserts that the actual cancellation order has never been officially shared with them to date. The plea also states that the Directorate of Estates (DoE) issued a bill on March 6, 2025, demanding Rs 6,60,361 as market rent for the petitioner's occupation of the allotted premises from September 14, 2024, to March 13, 2025. A subsequent bill, dated May 13, 2025, was issued for Rs 10,32,262, extending the market rent charges for an additional period from March 14, 2025, to April 29, 2025. According to the plea, the Circular issued by DoE on July 10, 2023, regarding revised flat rates for General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) across the country set the license fee at Rs. 5,420 per month for premises measuring 500 sq.m. However, the imposed market rent exceeds this amount by over 1,000 per cent, functioning as a penalty for non-compliance with the ex parte cancellation of the petitioner's lawful allotment. Furthermore, the bills dated March 6, 2025, and May 13, 2025, are legally unsound, as their basis--the ex parte Cancellation Order issued on September 14, 2024--was passed in violation of the principles of natural justice and the Allotment of Government Residence (General Pool in Delhi) Rules, 1963. (ANI)
Mint
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Govt reserves 4% central housing quota for employees with disabilities
The Centre has introduced a 4% reservation in the allotment of General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) for its employees with benchmark disabilities. The new policy, announced by the ministry of housing and urban affairs, aims to ensure greater accessibility and equal opportunity in government housing. The directive, issued under the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, states that all central government employees with benchmark disabilities—defined in Section 34 of the Act—will be eligible for priority allotment of GPRA, according to a statement. These include individuals with conditions such as blindness, low vision, hearing impairments, locomotor disabilities, cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack injuries, and muscular dystrophy. The central government provides about 109,474 residential units under the GPRA scheme across 347 colonies in 61 cities throughout India, shows government data. So, under the new policy, about 4,379 government residential units across the country will be reserved for eligible government employees with benchmark disabilities. Under the revised policy, eligible employees will receive priority in both initial allotments and requests for change of accommodation over the general unified waiting list, the statement said. The benchmark disability is determined as per Section 2(r) of the RPWD Act, which defines a person with at least 40% of a specified disability, either measurable or otherwise, certified by the competent authority. Describing the initiative as a landmark step towards inclusive governance, Minister of housing and urban affairs Manohar Lala Khattar said the measure reflects the government's commitment to equal opportunity for all, aligning with the broader vision of sabka saath, sabka vikas. The decision is also part of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, which seeks to build a more accessible and barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities. 'The allotments will be processed through the government's automated system of allotment (ASA), and eligible applicants must place their bids every month on the eSampada website under the newly introduced Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category,' said Ravi Arora, joint secretary, housing ministry. 'A Unique Disability ID (UDID) card, issued by the government, will serve as valid proof of eligibility. Applicants are required to upload the UDID card to their profile on the eSampada portal, which will be verified by their respective ministries or departments before the application is forwarded to the Directorate of Estates,' said Arora.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Govt officials with disabilities to get 4% quota in housing pool
The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Thursday decided to extend a 4% reservation for persons with disabilities (PwD) in the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA), which will cover houses up to Type 5, benefiting officials from Assistant Section Officer (ASO) level to Director rank, it is learnt. The Directorate of Estates under the Ministry issued an office memorandum on Thursday applying the reservation. 'In order to promote the rights of People with Disabilities, laid down in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD), 2016 the Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has decided to adopt the reservation of 4% for the allotment of GPRA to eligible Government servants,' it said. Those Central government servants who have benchmark disabilities, as laid down in the RPWD Act, will be given priority for allotment of GPRA every month, it said. In order to be considered for accommodation, all government servants can participate in the monthly online bidding process carried out by the Directorate of Estates. 'The eligible PwD applicants would be given priority over the unified waiting list for both initial allotment/change of GPRA. The Unique Disability ID (UDID) card issued by the Government will be a valid document for proof of disability,' the OM said. According to government sources, when a government servant joins as an ASO, it takes about 15 years to be allotted a home due to the shortage of housing. As of now, the waiting period for some categories is up to 18 years, an official said. Some government servants who have disabilities are forced to stay in hostels and away from their families due to the lack of housing, the official said. Overall, the Directorate of Estates manages 1.02 lakh GPRA units across 355 locations in 61 cities.
