Latest news with #L-GSaxena
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Medieval-era Sheesh Mahal unveiled in Shalimar Bagh
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and CM Rekha Gupta, unveiled the restored medieval-era Sheesh Mahal and other heritage structures in Shalimar Bagh on Wednesday. The restoration of Shalimar Bagh was undertaken on the initiative and under the direct supervision of the L-G Saxena, who first took serious note of the dilapidated and crumbling heritage structures—buried under silt and overgrown vegetation due to decades of neglect—during his visit to the site in January last year. The responsibility of restoring this heritage site was entrusted to the DDA under the technical supervision of the ASI. The restoration work aligns with the vision of 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi', under which the DDA, along with ASI, has undertaken numerous restoration and preservation efforts highlighting Delhi's rich heritage. The restoration of Shalimar Bagh follows the successful conservation of sites such as Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Anangpal Tomar Van in South Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Shekhawat said the Ministry of Tourism and Culture was proactively working to protect and promote the rich heritage of the country, particularly Delhi, under the leadership of the PM Modi. He lauded the DDA's conservation efforts and assured full support of the Centre in protecting these heritage jewels. L-G Saxena commended the DDA and ASI for their meticulous restoration and urged Delhiites to become stakeholders in preserving these priceless sites to ensure they remain clean, green, and encroachment-free. CM Gupta thanked the L-G for his dedicated efforts in reviving Delhi's neglected heritage and appreciated his constant guidance on developmental works in the city. Built in 1653, Shalimar Bagh has witnessed many historic events from the Mughal to British era. As part of the restoration, ASI revived the Sheesh Mahal's heritage elements, while DDA developed a Mughal-style Char Bagh landscape to complement the monument.
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.
Indian Express
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Hotels, restaurants, discotheques in Capital no longer need to approach Delhi Police for NOCs. Here's why
Owners of establishments such as hotels, eateries, discotheques, amusement parks, and auditoriums in the Capital will no longer need to approach police for permission or No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to run their operations. In a recent order, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena has withdrawn the sanction power of the Delhi Police in such matters. The Delhi Police's licensing branch will now only deal with the grant or sanction of arms licences and licence for explosives, the order stated. In the June 19 order that was circulated on Sunday, L-G Saxena stated, '…in exercise of powers under section 28 (2) read with section 4 of Delhi Police Act, 1978, I hereby withdraw the sanction granted to Commissioner of Police, Delhi, for issuance of regulations under Section 28 (1) of the Delhi Police Act, 1978, covering the seven activities mentioned at Para 1.' These include hotels, swimming pools, eating houses, discotheques, video game parlours, amusement parks, and auditoriums. In his order, the L-G directed the Commissioner of Police to issue a notification 'repealing the said regulations with immediate effect'. The order further said, 'The repeal notification shall be given wide publicity by Delhi Police and Home Department.' The order noted that the Centre, with an intention to achieve the motto of 'minimum government and maximum governance', has taken up an initiative to reduce multiple licensing regimes, being followed in different states and Union Territories (UTs), and requested simplifying licensing procedures. Citing two court orders, L-G Saxena said the Delhi High Court, in a 2003 judgment pertaining to Uphaar Cinema tragedy, had recommended that 'Delhi Police should only be concerned with Law and Order, and entrusting of responsibility of licensing on the police force is an additional burden…' Citing a Supreme Court judgment that affirmed the recommendations of the HC, the L-G said it had also suggested that 'the existing system of police granting licences should be abolished'. According to L-G Saxena, a committee under the chairmanship of the then Additional Chief Secretary (Home), with officers of Delhi Police, Law and IT Department of Delhi government as members, was constituted to look into the entire gamut of licence/NOCs/permissions, being granted by the licensing branch, and their relevance in the changed scenario. The L-G's order stated that while observing that Delhi Police is facing shortage of staff, it was recommended that the force 'be relieved of the responsibilities of regulating licences in the respect of seven trades.' Noting that authorities such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (MCD) and Cantonment Board have also framed regulations for trade activities, the L-G's order stated that 'overlapping of regulations issued under Delhi Police Act, 1978, and Municipal Laws, by multiple authorities…is impinging the overall ease of doing business.' L-G Saxena said some 'progressive states', like Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa, have already done away with the requirement of licences from police for these trade categories. Before issuing the order, L-G Saxena had examined the matter in terms of section 21 of the General Clauses Act, 1897, in consultation with the Law Department of the Delhi government, and found that 'he is well within his powers to direct the Commissioner of Police to rescind the relevant regulations'. According to the licensing unit's website, 'A need was felt to regulate public places like hotels/guest houses, eating houses, cinema halls, auditoriums, swimming pools, amusement parks etc, which receive frequent and heavy foot falls, from Law & Order, public convenience, safety and traffic management point of view… various provisions relating to licensing and registration of such entities were made in the Delhi Police Act-1978.' It further stated, '…This regulatory mechanism has stood the test of time and proved to be best suited for serving the citizens of Delhi. Certain powers, which were earlier vested with the District Magistrate, were transferred to the Commissioner of Police under Section 146 of The Delhi Police Act 1978… Licensing Unit has emerged today as one of the important 'Image Hubs' of Delhi Police.'
