Execution of redevelopment plan of the three major markets — Khan Market, Gole Market and INA Market — will be top priority of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in its budget for the year 2014-15. In the Rs 2,550 crore budget which will be presented on February 12, the civic body will mainly focus on completing pending projects which include installing CCTV cameras and turning New Delhi area into a solar hub.
Sources said the civic body will soon form a ‘projects cell’ which will ensure timely and qualitative implementation of their proposals. A provision of Rs 10 crore has been made in the budget towards this cell. “The immediate works to be taken up by this cell which also find a mention in the budget include turning New Delhi area into a solar city, central air conditioning for its markets and finalising a solar transport mechanism,” said sources. With the new parking charges yet to be implemented, the civic body is also mulling ways to improve the condition of its parking lots. This is being taken up at a time when the deadlock over automated multi-level parking at KG Marg prevails due to clearance issues from the National Monuments Authority.
Even as the Connaught Place redevelopment project is over, the civic body is still juggling with a series of pending projects which are yet to see the light of day. Several projects which were mentioned in the previous budget have found place in this year’s as well. It’s plan to provide 24x7 water supply in its area and improving the water distribution structure by cutting down on 40 per cent water wastage will be taken up this time around. A new addition would be converting the NDMC area into a wi-fi zone.
Five years after its announcement was made, the NDMC is again planning to bring its idea of ‘Solar City’ in the budget. This time its target is to generate eight mega watt of solar power within a year. The status of Shivaji Stadium too is ambiguous with officials claiming it to be completed even as no formal announcement is being made. Another inclusion in the budget this time is the refurbishment of nine markets transferred to NDMC from land and Development Office. These markets include Prithviraj Road, Pandara Road, Begum Zaidi, Kidwai Nagar and laxmibai Nagar. Moreover, the pending redevelopment plan of Khan Market and Gole Market will also be taken up.