[Urbanstudy] DDA plans for nangla maachi site

[Anuj Bhuwania]

 "In lieu of the allotment of land for the Bamnauli plant, the Delhi
Development Authority wants the Delhi Government to transfer its
surplus land available with the Pragati Power Plant, Indraprastha
Power Plant and Rajghat Power Plant so that it can develop this land
for commercial use and raise money."

	

Date:18/04/2007 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/18/stories/2007041820650500.htm

New Delhi

A unique plan on power, pollution fronts

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Money raised through commercial development of land to be diverted to
the cleaning of Yamuna

NEW DELHI: A unique combination of power generation, commercial
development and pollution control is being forged in Delhi under which
money raised through commercial development of land belonging to
various power plants is planned to be diverted to the cleaning of the
Yamuna and development of the riverfront.

The Delhi Development Authority this past week allotted land to the
Delhi Government for setting up a 750 MW combined cycle gas-fired
power station at Bamnauli in South West Delhi. The proposal to set up
a plant at Bamnauli near Najafgarh is under consideration of the Delhi
Government since in view of the new Master Plan for Delhi-2021
large-scale urbanisation is proposed to take place in this region.

MoU signed

What makes the setting up of a power plant at Bamnauli a possibility
now is that a memorandum of understanding has been signed with M/s
Petronet to finalise the supply and purchase agreement for gas in the
next couple of months. Delhi would be requiring gas to fire plants
that would generate about 2,000 MW of power.

In lieu of the allotment of land for the Bamnauli plant, the Delhi
Development Authority wants the Delhi Government to transfer its
surplus land available with the Pragati Power Plant, Indraprastha
Power Plant and Rajghat Power Plant so that it can develop this land
for commercial use and raise money.

Surplus land

"There are hundreds of acres of surplus land available with these
plants. These are prime spaces very close to Lutyens' Delhi and the
important hub of ITO. The land would be developed for creating more
office space in this region. The demand for such development is very
large in this area as besides being in the middle of the city it is
also linked through the Delhi Metro now," said a senior official.

Moreover, as per the grand plan that is also under active
consideration of the Union Ministry of Urban Development, a portion of
the funds raised through commercial development would be diverted
towards cleaning of the Yamuna and development of the riverfront.

Incidentally, this aspect has become critical for the Delhi Government
also. In its budget document, it has also declared that the objective
of making Delhi a global city can only be achieved after the Yamuna
has been made completely pollution-free. While the Yamuna River
Development Authority has been set up, the Government now needs funds
to get its plans into action and it is here that the DDA is hoping
that the Delhi Government would see reason in its scheme and the
transfer of land would be a smooth affair.

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